The former Seton manufacturing plant is under contract for sale to Green Leaf Medical, LLC, a Maryland based company.
With a 30-plus year history in Saxton, Seton announced that it was closing the plant in 2008. The 274,000-sq. ft. facility has remained dormant since the facility closed.
Green Leaf Medicals, based in Frederick, Maryland, will be acquiring the plant to house a medical cannabis growing and processing facility. Its application for a license is currently under review by the PA Department of Health.
The company has experience in this industry. “Our company competed for a license to cultivate medical cannabis in Maryland and in 2016 we were awarded the #1 ranked license out of 146 competitors,” noted Philip Goldberg, Green Leaf Medical CEO.
The Green Leaf team, working with the Bedford County Development Association, explored the viability of using the Seton facility for its operations. “Ultimately we selected the location for multiple reasons including Saxton’s willingness to work with us, the high quality local workforce, the price and infrastructure of the facility and its close proximity to our Frederick, Maryland location,” Goldberg said.
“We have met with Mayor Smith, the Tussey Mountain School Board and several officers from the Saxton Fire Company to relay our plans for the facility and our intention of giving back to the community,” Goldberg noted. Initially, 15-20 new jobs will be created with multiple spin-off jobs needed to support the business.
The medical cannabis will be processed into pills, liquids, oils, topical creams or gels. Patients who suffer from any of 17 serious medical conditions, and are certified by a physician, may access this product. These conditions include cancer, epilepsy, severe and chronic pain, glaucoma and PTSD.
“Some folks may have reservations about medical cannabis. I encourage everyone to learn more about the potential benefits it can provide. Our company is focused on medical cannabis production and fights against recreational marijuana use,” stated Goldberg.
The Green Leaf board includes a neurologist who has received DEA approval to use medical cannabis to treat children suffering from epilepsy, a pharmacologist from the University of Maryland that develops anti-cancer drugs, a member of the Department of Homeland Security and a retired lieutenant from the Frederick Police Department.
The facility will be a state-of-the-art, pharmaceutical grade, highly secure building.
Pennsylvania recently opened applications for medical cannabis grower-processors and dispensaries. It carved the state into six regions. Bedford County is at the western edge of the South-Central Region which consists of 13 counties including Dauphin and York. In this region, permits will be awarded to four dispensaries and two grower processors. Applications were due March 20 with an anticipated 90-120-day review period.
About 900 applicants are anticipated to make application for the first round of permits. Application fees for grower and processors is $10,000 and, if approved, the annual fee is $200,000/year. The state’s goal is to have sites operational by early 2018.
BCDA Board Chair Doug Gerber noted “Green Leaf Medicals will be a welcome addition to Bedford County. We’re pleased to see growth in our pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and activity at the former Seton facility. The building layout is conducive to subdividing which will add to our inventory of available space for lease. It is gratifying to see that Green Leaf is committed to helping the community and getting people back to work.”
For more information, please contact:
Philip Goldberg, CEO
Green Leaf Medicals, LLC
(800) 530-8793 Ext. 110
E-mail: Phil@greenleafmedicals.com
Bette Slayton, President
Bedford County Development Association
(814) 623-4816
E-mail: slayton@bcda.org