Our Team
(From the party that's NOT in the Epstein files)

Rick Beard
2019
Norman, OK
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Building vertical grow systems for alternative urban food production in North Omaha.
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Campaign Manager
Marion Beard
Campaign manager

                            RICK BEARD
        I've been a Nebraskan since 1972. As a child, my father was an international exporter of Nebraska-made agricultural equipment. My mom worked for the Social Security Administration as a claims representative and  instilled in me the importance of a government that provides care and benefits for its people.
        When I was 21, a part time holiday job brought on a long career in food, wine, and eventually cannabis. In 1995, I started the Omaha Wine Company which still operates today.  I moved to Napa Valley in 1997 and started working for a wine store that I eventually owned and operated for 19 years. California had just legalized accessible medical cannabis in 1996.  
        I saw California's struggles with early legislation when some municipalities participated and others did not. Did you know only half the counties in California currently participate in the commercial cannabis business, but all the counties receive tax windfall from cannabis taxation? In effect, every county wins, even if they don't choose to participate. This is what could happen in Nebraska. Bring new business and much needed tax relief to the state while giving counties options on levels of involvement.  In 2016 we moved to Calaveras County in the Sierra Foothills.  Here a board of supervisors vote (3/5) revoked 750 commercial cannabis licenses in one of the state's poorest counties, stripping the county of desperately needed industry and massive tax revenue. Sound familiar? That's what's happening in Lincoln right now. Our elected legislators are blatantly ignoring your vote and destroying our democracy and economy in Nebraska.   
       In 2019, my wife and I lived in Norman, Oklahoma, guiding a family farm through its first year of licensing, growing, and navigating regulations during the state's inaugural year of cannabis legalization. We heard countless stories of people that had died of opiate addictions. Almost everyone had a personal loss to the drugs. Then we heard even more accounts of addiction transference-- people getting off the deadly opiates once cannabis became legal and accessible in the state. It was awesome to see a community find a solution to a deadly problem through cannabis legalization. Again, we saw issues with early Oklahoma legislation such as excessive licensing and insufficient background checks.
        Now that we've seen what legislation succeeds and what fails for about 30 years, we can draft forward thinking, pro-Nebraska, pro-Nebraskan, "full-access whole-plant" cannabis legislation that protects and benefits our citizens with extensive background checks, seed to sale tracking, rigorous product testing, and safe, proven distribution and retail models. 
        After a short stay in the Sooner state we moved back to Nebraska, figuring we'd surely have decent cannabis legislation by now. Turns out WE don't have it, and WE wont have it,  until WE do something about it. And that's why I'm running for state governor to save this game before it's too late. I live and work in Omaha with my wife, Marion, and our red heeler, Teddy. We enjoy spending time with my mom, cooking and sharing libations while talking politics. She's 90 and thinks Nebraska's legislative war against cannabis is ridiculous and highly  unnecessary.
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