Company planning $1M expansion as recreational marijuana becomes legal in NM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- The Verdes Foundations in Albuquerque plans to invest $1 million in making recreational marijuana a big part of the company.

They will increase production, grow operations and add staff.

"We’re growing across the board in every department of our operation," said Sarah McChesney.

While other industries struggle to hire employees, McChesney said people are eager to work in the marijuana field.

"We have people contacting us all the time looking for open positions, so it’s great to see," she said.

The Verdes Foundation plans to add a storefront in Santa Fe.

"We get a lot of people who actually come from Santa Fe, so that’s one of the interesting things for us," McChesney said.

The sticking point they are currently facing is how much they can expand. A current draft plan says a max plant count would be up to 4,500.

The Verdes Foundation would like the number to be higher because they are focused on canopy space.

The state must have recreational marijuana rules in place by Sept. 1.