♪♪♪ >> ERIC: SEVERAL MINNESOTA TRIBES ARE CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING COMPACTS WITH THE STATE TO SELL CANNABIS OFF-RESERVATION.

ONE OF THEM IS WHITE EARTH NATION.

REPORTER KAOMI LEE GOT A RARE INSIDE LOOK AT ITS EXPANDING CANNABIS GROW FACILITY AND DISPENSARY.

>> Reporter: THIS IS SIDS TO BE SOME OF THE BEST, HIGHEST QUALITIES CANNABIS GROWN ANYWHERE.

IT'S CULTIVATED RIGHT HERE IN MINNESOTA IN THIS 45,000-SQUARE-FOOT CONVERTED POTATO CHIP FACTORY.

AND ITS TRIBAL MADE.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING OUT FOR, YOU WANT NICE CONSISTENT WITHIN THE STEM.

IT WILL BE CULTIVAR DEPENDENT BUT YOU CAN GET SOME RED OR PUMPING IN THAT.

>> DAVID IS THE -- IT'S WHITE EARTH NATION'S CANNABIS OPERATION IN MAHNOMEN.

IT'S ONE OF TWO DISPENSE EAR PLACES IN THE STATE, WITH MORE COMING ON LINE.

COMMERCIALLY GROWN NUTRIENTS IS A SCIENCE ALL ITS OWN, FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE GENETICS.

>> IT WAS OUR BIGGEST PUSH, ENSURING WE GET THE IS GENETICS THAT THE CONSUMERS WANTS.

>> HE'S PART OF A CANNABIS TEAM BROUGHT IN BY WHITE EARTH LAST FALL AND THEY'RE SETTING THE BAR HIGH FOR A PROGRAM HERE.

ZACK WILSON IS THE CEO.

THIS IS HIS FIRST TRIBAL ENTERPRISE.

>> EVERY MARKET I'VE EVER BEEN IN FOR CANNABIS, IT'S ALWAYS FRESH, ALWAYS NEW, SO THERE IS A TON OF EXCITEMENT.

>> Reporter: WHITE EARTH HAS INVESTED MORE THAN $50 MILLION IN THE VENTURE.

SEVERAL OTHER TRIBES ARE ALSO OPEN FOR BUSINESS ON RESERVATION LAND, WELL AHEAD OF STATE LICENSING OF THE OPEN MARKET.

WHILE NOT REGULATED BY THE STATE, WHITE EARTH HAS ITS TONE CANNABIS COMMISSION.

>> A LOT OF OUR RULES AND REGS ARE TIGHTER THAN THE STATE'S, WHICH I'M PROUD OF, RIGHT?

IT ALLOWS US TO REALLY PROVE AND SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A HIGH-QUALITY STANDARD IN OUR PRODUCTION.

>> Reporter: THE DISPENSARY CAN SEE UP TO 200 CUSTOMERS A DAY, THAT'S NEARLY 125 FOUND OF PRODUCT GOING OUT THE DOOR EACH MONTH.

WHILE THE BUSINESS HAS ABOUT 50 EMPLOYEES, IT'S NOT STOPPING THERE.

>> WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE BEVERAGE SPACE, AS WELL, ALREADY, WE HAVE A BRAND CALLED MENOBE.

>> A SECOND LOCATION WILL OPEN IN BAGLEY SOON.

A THIRD LOCATION OFF-RESERVATION IN MOORHEAD IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

THAT DEPENDS ON A STATE COMPACT AGREEMENT NOW IN NEGOTIATION.

>> WE'VE BEEN AT IT SINCE ABOUT 2020, OUR CANNABIS, AND, YOU KNOW, AND LOOKING BACK AT THIS ROAD THAT I WAS ON WITH HIS AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, EXCITED.

>> Reporter: MICHAEL FAIRBANKS IS IN HIS THIRD TERM AS CHAIRMAN OF WHITE EARTH NATION.

HE SAYS MEDICINAL ANNABIS HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR MEMBERS, NOW GOING BIC INTO RECREATIONAL CANNABIS, WHITE EARTH WAS THE FIRST MINNESOTA BAND TO SELL TO OTHER TRIBES.

FIRST TO LEECH LAKE AND NOW PRAIRIE ISLAND INDIAN COMMUNITY.

>> WE'RE ANISHINAABE PEOPLE, THE FIRST PEOPLE, WE'RE THE PEOPLE THAT HELP EVERYONE AND THAT'S HOW -- I'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT MENTALITY OF I WAS REACHING OUT MY HANDS AND ASKING OTHER TRIBAL LEADERS TO HELP US AND I THINK THIS IS WHERE THE HISTORY TAKES PART, YOU KNOW, OF US AND BEING HOW OUR HISTORY PLAYED OUT IS THAT WE HAVE TO STAY TOGETHER AND STAY STRONG AS A PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS IF WE'RE ANISHINAABE OR DAKOTA.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS ITS HE'S ALSO SHARED THE KNOWLEDGE IN FIGHTING THE CRISIS.

FAIRBANKS SAYS HE HOPES THIS FLOWER WILL HELP HEAL HIS COMMUNITIES IN MANY WAYS.

>> VERY PROUD OF MY COUNCIL AND OUR PEOPLE FOR SUPPORTING OUR VISION, OUR INITIATIVE, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOREWHITE EARTH NATION AND FOR TRIBES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO LOOK AT US IN A GOOD WAY THAT WE ARE TAKING ON THESE ENDEAVORS TO PROVE THAT WE CAN BE A PLAYER IN THIS MARKET.

>> Reporter: PRIORLY ISLAND INDIAN COMMUNITIES IN WELCH IS ALSO RACING TO SET UP ITS OWN CANNABIS FOOTPRINT.

THIS DIFFERENCE PENS REJUST OPENED IN JUNE.

>> FOR US IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF PROCESS OF DEVELOPING WHERE WE SIT TODAY.

FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WE LOOK AT OUR ECONOMY AND WHAT BRINGS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT PROVIDES OUR SERVICES, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, WASTE WATER TREATMENT, SO THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES US BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, SO THIS IS ANOTHER BUSINESS VENTURE THAT CAN GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

>> JOHNSON SAYS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH WHITE EARTH HAS BEEN CHANCE TO CONTINUE INTER-TRIBAL COOPERATION.

>> LONG TIME AGO, TRIBES USED TO HAVE TRADES WITH ONE ANOTHER AND AS TIME HAS GONE, IT KIND OF WENT AWAY BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK TO THE WAY TRIBES USED TO OPERATE AND WORK TOGETHER.

>> Reporter: THE DISPENSION REIS NAMED ISLAND PEJPEZI, WHICH MEANS GRASS.

IT'S ONLY AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE CITIES.

THEY'RE ALSO IN TALKS WITH THE STATE ON A COMPACT TO SELL OFF-RESERVATION AND JOHNSON SAYS THEY'RE STARTING TO GROW THEIR OWN.

>> HELLO.

>> HI.

>> MY NAME IS GRACE, I'LL BE YOUR BUD TENDER TODAY.

>> I LIKE IT.

>> Reporter: BACK AT WOULD BE GONE, DOUGLAS BELLMORE WAS EXCITED TO VISIT THE DISPENSARY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

- HE LIVES PART TIME IN TEXAS WHERE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA IS LEGAL BUT RECREATIONAL WEED IS NOT.

HE SAID IT HAPPENS WITH HIS ANXIETIES.

>> WAY BETTER THAN DRINKING.

A LOT EASIER ON THE