Symponia Farms aims to stand out in Battle Creek's crowded weed market by catering to veterans
Jon Benson of Delton is a regular customer of Symponia Farms.
A medical marijuana card holder, he said he buys from the vertically integrated cannabis operation at 1140 Harmonia Road in Battle Creek because of its discounts for veterans. He served seven years in the U.S. Navy.
“I’ve been a smoker for a long time; 50 years I’ve been smoking weed," Benson said. "Of course, it all started off as a recreational type thing. After the military and during the military, it was helpful for things military members deal with and see that nobody should ever have to see. You deal with ghosts all the rest of your life. Pot helps me maintain an even keel, helps me relax and keeps my stress and anxiety at a minimum."
Symponia Farms opened as a medical marijuana grow and retail business in 2020, later adding adult use (recreational) and processing. It is owned by three veterans — Scott Hershberger and two silent partners — whose military photos hang in the showroom of the building they constructed on a former junkyard.
Marketing itself as disabled veteran owned, the craft cannabis business is aiming to stand out in a saturated cannabis market in Battle Creek through its "farm to table" model while touting what it believes are the benefits of the drug for disabled veterans.
“Our entire model was based on the idea that veterans can have a lot of relief from this product," Hershberger said. "There’s so many ways to take it now, you don’t have to smoke it if you don’t want to. You can eat it, take a pill, rub it on your sore muscles. We have a 20% veterans discount because we’re about helping people."
Can veterans use cannabis?
Michigan legalized recreational marijuana in 2018. While recreational cannabis use is legal in 19 states, it is illegal on a federal level, still classified as a schedule one controlled substance. Its use is prohibited by the United States military.
For military veterans, participation in state cannabis programs does not effect eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs care and services under VHA Directive 1315.
Veterans are encouraged to discuss cannabis use with their VA provider, who is not allowed to recommend or prescribe marijuana for medical purposes. The VA provider will document use of cannabis in medical records, but all clinical information is confidential and protected. The VA will not complete paperwork or forms for veterans to participate in state-approved marijuana programs, and VA pharmacies cannot fill prescriptions for and will not pay for marijuana for medical purposes.
Due to its federal status, there remains little in the way of research and clinical trials about the effect of cannabis on military veterans. The belief that cannabis can be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder is primarily based on anecdotal evidence.
On July 21, the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency announced it was recommending $20 million in grants to Wayne State University and the University of Michigan through the 2022 Veteran Marijuana Research Grant Program. The grants are for clinical trials that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration researching the efficacy of marijuana in treating the medical conditions of United States armed services veterans and preventing veteran suicide.
Former Marine turned pot farmer, business owner
Hershberger was born in Canada and holds dual citizenship, enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserves after graduating from Okemos High School. He was activated for duty following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, spending the next 10 years in the military while earning his bachelor's degree.
After getting out of the service, Hershberger said he worked in security for the government, attained a master's degree from Western Michigan and was working at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center when he and two fellow veterans decided to enter the newly formed Michigan medical marijuana industry. They named their startup farm and dispensary Symponia, which means compassion in ancient Greek.
The trio attempted to open their business in two other municipalities that had opted in to medical marijuana before finding the "green zone" location in Battle Creek. The city does not cap the number of retail dispensaries, instead opting to limit cannabis businesses to select commercial districts.
"We found this place, an old junkyard," Hershberger said. "Our first step was clearing this space of over 10,000 tires and getting it ready to build on."
Differentiating in a crowded field
Calhoun County has one of the most competitive cannabis markets in the state for both wholesale and retail. The greater Battle Creek area has 24 adult use retail licenses, behind only Ann Arbor and Bay City, each with 25.
The increased competition is good for consumers, driving down prices, but has created a challenging market for cannabis growers, processors and retailers to navigate.
Bloom City in Emmett Township closed July 25 while announcing it was opening another location in Ypsilanti. Common Citizen, headquartered in Marshall where it has a 70-acre greenhouse farm, announced July 27 its intention to sell its Battle Creek retail location, LIV Cannabis.
Still, the cannabis industry has been a lucrative one statewide. In June alone, the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency showed nearly $21.5 million in medical marijuana sales, and approximately $166 million in adult use sales.
For Hershberger and his partners, being vertically integrated has meant they could avoid some of the issues other retailers are facing, such as supply chain disruption. The majority of the farm's business is wholesale.
“It’s an industry there is no manual for," Hershberger said. "The whole market continues to shift. The only thing constant is change.. (It takes) a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck."
Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Marijuana market in Battle Creek is crowded. Symponia focuses on vets
