Delaware’s adult-use marijuana program marked a major milestone as Joshua Sanderlin was officially sworn in as the state’s new Marijuana Commissioner today. His appointment signals a new chapter for the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC), the regulatory agency tasked with implementing and enforcing the Delaware Marijuana Control Act, which took effect on July 5, 2023. OMC’s mission is to oversee the adult-use and medical marijuana industry with a focus on public health, preventing underage use, ensuring equity, and generating tax revenue through a safe and well-regulated market.

Sanderlin brings over 15 years of experience advising businesses, investors, and policymakers on marijuana regulation and public policy. As principal of Sanderlin Strategies, he has worked across multiple jurisdictions to support licensing, compliance, and the development of marijuana programs. Previously, he practiced law at Greenberg Traurig, where he represented clients in regulatory and legislative matters.

“Josh Sanderlin’s depth of regulatory experience and his focus on equity and transparency will be critical as we create a system that protects public health, promotes opportunity, and delivers on the promise of responsible legalization,” said Governor Matt Meyer.

“Commissioner Sanderlin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this very important role at a crucial time. His leadership will be instrumental in moving the process forward to stand up the State’s recreational market,” said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Joshua Bushweller.

Sanderlin holds a Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America, a Master of Public Administration from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Jacksonville University. He is widely respected for his commitment to transparency, equity, and good governance in emerging industries.

OMC also recognizes the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Paul Hyland, who has played a key role in advancing the state’s marijuana program during the transitional period. “OMC is excited to welcome Commissioner Sanderlin and to hear his vision for the future of this office,” said Hyland.

“I’m honored to serve as Delaware’s Marijuana Commissioner,” said Sanderlin. “I look forward to working with the dedicated team at OMC and partners across the marijuana industry to build a safe, well-regulated market that delivers real justice and lasting benefits to all Delawareans.”

The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) is pleased to share that the FBI has issued OMC a fingerprint service code for selected applicants.

In April 2025, FBI denied the State’s reconsideration request for a fingerprint service code, citing the need for greater specificity in Delaware’s authorizing statute. OMC worked expeditiously with the General Assembly to address the concerns. House Bill 110 was developed and passed to specifically identify the categories of individuals required to undergo fingerprint-based criminal history background checks.

Governor Matt Meyer signed HB110 into law on April 24, 2025. Upon enactment, the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) submitted the revised language to FBI for review.

The FBI has partially approved the revised language, with one exception to the term “agent” as being overly broad. OMC will work with the General Assembly to make that technical correction.

OMC will contact selected applicants this week with next steps.

“Fingerprint-based background checks are a vital part of ensuring public safety and maintaining the integrity of the program,” said Paul Hyland, Acting Marijuana Commissioner. “We appreciate the FBI’s collaboration and are excited that selected applicants can continue moving forward.”

OMC will provide updates as implementation progresses.

After successfully completing the application review, we are excited to announce that 529 applications will advance to the lottery stage for the Open Retail category. The Licensing Lottery will be broadcast live on Facebook Live on December 19, 2024. Below are the details of the counties and the number of applications progressing to the next stage:

Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) License Lottery

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Dover, DE

Starting at 1:00 p.m.

End time is estimated to be before 2:00 p.m.

Live Broadcast:   Facebook Live “Office of The Marijuana Commissioner”.

Witnesses: (will be released day after for security)

Auditors: (will be released day after for security)

Machine Used: (will be released day after for security)

Location: (will be released day after for security)

Lottery Process Explained:

If an applicant passes the minimum qualifications review and has paid their application fee, they receive a lottery number generated by the system.

A separate drawing is conducted for each category of license by County.

The lottery numbers selected in each lottery drawing will be made visible during the live broadcast.  A press release featuring the selected lottery numbers will be published on our website.

The OMC will contact the selected applicants in the days following the lottery.  Once all selected applicants have been officially notified, the identity of the selected applicants will be shared with the media and the public. .

Selected Applicants will begin the Supplemental Application Process and work towards their Conditional License.

An Active License, enabling the licensee to commence business operations, is not issued until the OMC has determined that the applicant satisfies all requirements contained in the applicable law and regulations.

Can I sell my license?

You cannot sell a conditional license, only active licenses are eligible for transfer or sale. A separate transfer fee applies to each transfer.

 Open Retail License:

529 eligible applicants for 15 available licenses

• New Castle County- 7 available licenses- 210 Applications Lottery Eligible
• Kent County-3 available licenses-151 Applications Lottery Eligible
• Sussex County-5 available licenses-168 Applications Lottery Eligible

The OMC remains committed to ensuring a transparent and equitable licensing process as established by the Marijuana Control Act. The OMC will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity throughout the lottery process, including the disclosure of all selected applicants and lottery results in a timely and secure manner.

Applicants should carefully review the details outlined above and be prepared for the next phase of the licensing process. We encourage all participants to stay informed by following the live broadcast and awaiting official communication from the OMC regarding the lottery results.

The OMC looks forward to working with the selected applicants during the next steps of the Supplemental Application Process and issuing Conditional Licenses, with the goal of fostering a regulated, safe, and sustainable marijuana industry in Delaware. Should any additional information or guidance be needed, applicants are encouraged to contact the OMC directly.

DOVER, Del. (August 13, 2024)—The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced the 28th round of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation, preserving 40 farms and 2,262 acres of farmland. With this announcement, the Carney administration has preserved 403 farms, the highest number in the program’s history.

“Investing in Delaware’s AgLands program allows us to protect Delaware’s agriculture heritage and the future of our number one industry while benefiting the greater environment,” said Governor Carney. “I want to thank the Aglands team at the Department of Agriculture, the members of the General Assembly, and all who work to preserve this important part of Delaware’s history and economy. It’s been an honor to support this program and our family farms over the years.”

In 1991, the General Assembly passed legislation, signed into law by Gov. Michael N. Castle, to create the framework for the Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation, which oversees the preservation program with staffing support from Department of Agriculture employees. The first funding was allocated in 1995 under Gov. Carper, who preserved 273 Delaware farms; Gov. Minner, with 288 farms; and Gov. Markell, with 292 farms.

After over 10 years of not being funded, Governor Carney reinstated the Forestland Preservation Program funding in 2019. Entirely forested properties in managed timber production can enroll in the Forestland Preservation Program, which purchases Forestland Preservation Easements similar to Aglands Preservation. Through Governor Carney’s support in maintaining a sustainable forest system that benefits wildlife habitat, the forest industry, and all Delawareans, the state’s Forestland Preservation Program saw a significant increase in participation. Since then, the program has purchased 12 forestland easements on more than 866 acres, with another 1,617 acres temporarily preserved on 21 forestland areas, similar to how agricultural districts operate for farmland preservation. An additional 40,600 acres of forest have been purchased under Aglands Preservation.

“Trees are extremely important for our environment, but they are also extremely important for the revenue they can produce for our landowners, which is why the Forestland Preservation Program is key to our timber industry in Delaware,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Because of the importance the Governor placed on planting trees to improve the environment, the Delaware Forest Service made a major effort to plant 1,013,149 trees from 2020 to 2024 before the Governor left office, contributing to his legacy of protecting Delaware’s land and improving the overall environment through increasing forested areas across the state.”

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation Easements are available for viewing through an online dashboard at https://de.gov/agdashboard.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes taxpayer benefits. The Foundation does not own the land but purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district and are eligible for permanent preservation the year after they apply.

In addition to more than 155,486 acres in permanent easements, Delaware’s Aglands and Forestland Preservation Programs have more than 47,300 acres of land enrolled in 10-year preservation districts.

County governments can partner with the state program and add county funds to select properties in their areas, leveraging state resources for the greatest impact. In today’s announcement, the county governments provided over $715,000 to help purchase 18 easements in this round.

“Agriculture is the lifeblood of Sussex County. It drives our economy, and it’s driven our communities for centuries. Sussex County is agriculture through and through, right down to our roots,” County Council President Michael H. Vincent said. “The County Council is honored to be part of this continuing effort through the Delaware Aglands program to preserve what is an integral way of life, one that we hope will continue to be for generations to come.”

Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996 and has since preserved 22.7% of New Castle County farmland, 42.8% of Kent County farmland, and 22.5% of Sussex County farmland.

Levy Court President Terry L. Pepper said, “Kent County is committed to balancing growth with conservation. This program not only helps preserve valuable farmland, but also supports local agriculture, ensuring a sustainable and thriving environment for generations to come.”

Delaware farmers interested in preserving their farms should be sure they meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Property must be zoned for agriculture and not subject to any major subdivision plan.
• The property meets the minimum Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) score of 170. LESA is a process that attempts to estimate the farm’s long-term viability based on the farm’s soil productivity, land use, and agriculture infrastructure on and around the farm. Scores range from 0-300. Aglands program staff calculate the LESA score when applications are received.
•The property must be working farmland with at least $1,000 in agricultural sales annually and generally have at least 10 acres of cropland.
• Farms of 200 acres or more constitute an agricultural district.
• Farms under 200 acres can enter the program if it is within 3 miles of an existing agricultural district.

With 1,273 farms already preserved, rarely does a farm under 200 acres not meet these criteria.

For more information or to obtain applications related to the Delaware Aglands Preservation Program, interested landowners can visit https://de.gov/aglands or call (302) 698-4530.

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees includes representatives from agriculture and state agencies. Trustees are Mark Collins, chairman; James G. Vanderwende, vice-chairman; Janice Truitt, treasurer; William H. “Chip” Narvel Jr., secretary; Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse; State Treasurer Colleen C. Davis; Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shawn Garvin; Dorothy Abbott; Robert Walls, Sr.; Robert Emerson; and H. Grier Stayton.

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The DNREC Mosquito Control section’s woodland pools spray campaign targets larval (immature) mosquitoes before they can emerge as biting insects that torment Delawareans and visitors alike later in spring and summer. /DNREC photo

Spring Campaign to Reduce Numbers of Year’s First Biting Mosquitoes

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will begin its annual spraying of spring woodland pools to control aquatic immature (larval) mosquitoes as early as Friday, March 15, weather permitting. The spring spray campaign by DNREC’s Mosquito Control section will begin in southern Sussex County, then expand into Kent and New Castle counties over the next several weeks. Controlling early-season woodland pool larval mosquitoes limits the emergence of biting adult mosquitoes later in the spring.

Up to 10,000 acres of wet woodlands near select populated areas will be treated with a helicopter applying the bacteria-derived insecticide Bti. As with all insecticides used by the Mosquito Control section within the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bti has been determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pose no unreasonable risks to human health, wildlife or the environment when applied in accordance with product label instructions as required by federal law.

The spring woodland mosquito larvae spraying campaign marks the beginning of Delaware’s mosquito control season – which in most years continues until late October or early November. Starting in April, Mosquito Control section activities will expand to larval and adult saltmarsh mosquitoes, other freshwater mosquitoes, and urban and suburban container-breeding mosquitoes to manage mosquito populations for improving the state’s quality of life and to protect public health.

Locations and times for scheduled mosquito spraying activity in the state can be obtained by calling toll-free 800-338-8181. Mosquito spraying announcements can also be received by email, text or voicemail by subscribing to Mosquito Control’s Spray Zone Notification System at de.gov/mosquitospray.

To request local mosquito control service, call a Mosquito Control section field office:

• Glasgow Office, 302-836-2555, serving New Castle County and the northern half of Kent County, including Dover.
• Milford Office, 302-422-1512, serving the southern half of Kent County south of Dover and all of Sussex County.

For more information on DNREC’s mosquito control efforts in Delaware, visit de.gov/mosquito.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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