ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — State officials hope to have the first-ever, adult-use cannabis sales happening by the end of this year. To finish off the growing season, the Office of Cannabis Management is launching its first-ever “Fall Harvest Tour.”

The first stop of the tour is a farm in Monroe County. The farm requested to remain anonymous due to security concerns.

For years, this Rochester farm has been a multi-crop organic vegetable farm. They have grown cannabinoid hemp in the past, but this is the first year they have grown adult-use cannabis.

It’s one example of a small business eager to share the fruits of their labor soon; in local supply chains, and eventually legal cannabis sales.

The product on these farms will stock shelves for new retail dispensaries – set to open later this year.

“This product being grown has to go through the rest of the supply chain, there are processers we started to license that are coming online, that will be buying this product, processing it into additional products, and at the end of the chain, dispensaries open across the state to sell directly to consumers,” said Chris Alexander, Executive Director for Office of Cannabis Management.

The new dispensaries will be owned by experienced business owners or those with a previous cannabis conviction.

Nearly 1,000 businesses have applied for up to 150 of these initial dispensary licenses, to be available soon.

Currently, there are over 260 farms throughout the state gearing up to supply marijuana for the new market.

“We have to make sure we are working in a cooperative manner, that we are installing best practices,” said Assemblyman Josh Jensen. “Making sure that farms and processing sites are as safe and secure as they can be.”

“We have family farms incorporating the plant into what they were already doing before,” said Damian Fagon, Chief Equity Officer. “This does not have to replace, the amazing vegetables, the lettuce I see growing over there, it can really work in tandem with it, it’s been amazing to see the regenerative practices, the level of care,” he said.