Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health ordered AGRiMED Industries of PA, LLC, in Carmichaels, Pa., to cease and desist harvesting, cutting or destroying marijuana plants without a department inspector present at its medical marijuana growing and processing operations after a surprise inspection found numerous violations.
“Lapses in security cannot and will not be tolerated,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Patients and communities are relying on us to ensure their medication is grown and processed in a safe, secure location, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
AGRiMED was issued a medical marijuana grower/processor permit in June 2017 and became operational in February 2018. It has been growing marijuana, but its processing equipment is not operational, so it has not been processing or shipping medication for sale at dispensaries.
During the surprise inspection, AGRiMED was not able to produce records establishing how or when it destroyed marijuana plant that matured. It also could not produce security footage of the destruction of the plants, as required, because the security cameras were frequently non-functional. Plants that reach maturity and are not processed must either be harvested, trimmed or destroyed.
Under the cease and desist order, AGRiMED will be able to grow plants to cultivate its unique strains but is prohibited from removing anything from the marijuana plants outside the presence of a department inspector. It also is prohibited from turning off security equipment at any time without written authorization from the department. If there is an outage for any reason, it must be immediately reported to the department.
For more information about the Department of Health, visit www.health.pa.gov or follow the Department of Health on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov