Medical marijuana growing operation moves forward in Peru

One hurdle has been cleared to bring a medical marijuana cultivation center to Peru.

The Peru Planning Commission Wednesday night unanimously approved a special use permit for AgriCare to turn an old trucking terminal north of Interstate 80 into a medical marijuana cultivation center. The company says if eventually approved for a state license, their project would create 100 construction jobs along with 35 jobs at the growing facility during the first year and potentially grow to have a workforce of around 100.

AgriCare COO Dan Emmons says they will go above and beyond state regulations for security and any marijuana moving in and out will be delivered by armored trucks. Workers and visitors to the cultivation center would go through several security checkpoints.

If demand grows for medical marijuana, AgriCare plans to more than double the size of the cultivation center. Emmons says if the expansion happens, their monthly electric bill could be $200,000.

Another company called Med Farm also plans to ask for a special use permit for land that isn’t far from the trucking terminal. The state will eventually pick only one cultivation center for the Illinois Valley.