Wheatfield Gardens, a 12.5-acre hydroponic greenhouse on Shawnee Road, is currently grappling with over $3.6 million in lawsuits as the beleaguered state of New York's retail cannabis industry continues to impact cannabis farmers. The facility is facing legal action from multiple companies seeking unpaid payments and alleging mishandling of crops.
In lawsuits filed in Erie and Niagara County Supreme Courts, two companies are pursuing more than $600,000 in back payments owed by Wheatfield Gardens. Additionally, the owners of the popular House of Sacci cannabis brand have filed a lawsuit against the facility, claiming mismanagement of their crops and seeking $3 million in damages.
EnergyMark, a gas, electricity, and renewable energy supplier based in Williamsville is taking legal action against Wheatfield Gardens for $359,768 in unpaid energy bills and interest. The claim was filed in Erie County Supreme Court on July 10th. EnergyMark alleges that Wheatfield Gardens ceased payment for natural gas bills in October 2023 despite previously settling invoices through June 2024.
The claim includes $164,400 for natural gas supplied until May and an additional $195,368 representing the financial loss incurred by EnergyMark due to the need to liquidate or sell the remaining natural gas purchased for Wheatfield Gardens until December 2026.
Wheatfield Gardens is also facing a lawsuit from Cheektowaga's Lamparelli Construction claiming unpaid contracting work amounting to $302,430. Lamparelli alleges that Wheatfield Gardens ceased payment for the work in January despite having paid approximately $200,000 for a build-out project exceeding $500,000.
The most significant legal challenge for Wheatfield Gardens stems from a lawsuit filed by New York Seed Laboratory, owned by Dan and Mike Casacci, renowned for their House of Sacci cannabis brand. New York Seed Laboratory alleges "fraudulent misrepresentations" by Wheatfield Gardens, its processing and extraction company TruCann, and their CEO Elfstrum.
The lawsuit accuses Wheatfield Gardens of neglecting and causing harm to the cannabis crops it was contracted to grow and process. New York Seed Laboratory is seeking $1 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. The case was filed in Niagara County Supreme Court in August 2023.
Wheatfield Gardens has denied the allegations made by New York Seed Laboratory. The accusations include inadequate staffing for plant care, failure to address equipment issues and a bug infestation, among others.
Located at 7341 Shawnee Road, Wheatfield Gardens is a 550,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse that began growing hemp in 2018 following its legalization. In April 2022, Wheatfield Gardens obtained a license from the state Office of Cannabis Management to cultivate cannabis. Approximately 40,000 square feet of the facility is dedicated to post-harvest processing and manufacturing with the TruCann division offering cannabis processing and extraction services.
As the legal battles continue, Wheatfield Gardens faces significant financial challenges amidst the struggling cannabis industry in New York. The outcome of these lawsuits will have a significant impact on the future of the facility and its operations.
Based on independent reporting and the Buffalo News.
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