Less than a month after the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill, Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation has announced plans to invest up to $150 million to establish its first U.S. production facility in New York state. Earlier this week, Canopy announced that the Empire State had granted it a license to begin processing and producing hemp. In a press release, Canopy said it would invest between $100 million and $150 million to build a U.S. operation in New York’s Southern Tier.

Pending approval from the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, Flying Dog Brewery and Green Leaf Medical Cannabis plan to release Hop Chronic IPA, the state of Maryland’s first THC-infused non-alcoholic beer.

Sierra Nevada Brewing is committing at least $10 million to a new grant program aimed at providing relief to the Northern California communities affected by last November’s “Camp Fire” — the most destructive wildfire in the state’s history.

Total U.S. beer dollar sales grew to more than $35 billion in 2018, according to retail data provider IRI. The Chicago-based market research firm, which tracks category-wide sales at major off-premise retailers, reported a 1.8 percent increase in beer dollar sales, despite a 0.3 percent decline in volume sales at multi-outlet and convenience (MULC) stores (grocery, drug, club, dollar, mass-merchandiser and military) through December 30.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: The Brewers Association shares 2018 packaging trends; High Country Beverage reaches an agreement to acquire a share of a Kansas wholesaler; Allagash to can flagship White; Ballast Point sets opening date for downtown Disney taproom; and more industry news.

Aiming to establish a deeper connection in one of the key out-of-state markets where it distributes, fast-growing Ohio brewery Platform Beer Co. has announced plans open a brewery and taproom in Pittsburgh later this year.

Constellation Brands reported its third-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings today, which were highlighted by nearly 8 percent growth in beer depletions (sales-to-retailers) and a 14 percent increase in shipments (sales-to-wholesalers) for the comparable three-month period ending November 30.

In the face of declining on- and off-premise retail sales, California’s Hangar 24 Brewing terminated about half of its production staff last Friday, brewery founder Ben Cook confirmed to Brewbound.

Portland, Oregon-headquartered Columbia Distributing will acquire a majority of the assets from Graybeal Distributing in Eastern Oregon. A purchase price was not disclosed.

More than a year after launching beer deliveries throughout Phoenix, Arizona, Pizza Hut today announced plans to expand the service into 1,000 stores by mid-2019. The national pizza chain, owned by Yum Brands, said it would expand its beer delivery service into five new states — Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina and Ohio — by mid-January.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: MillerCoors sells its Eden facility for $2.75 million; Reyes acquires 2.5 million cases from Mission Beverage; Blue Moon is named the “Official Craft Beer” of the Kentucky Derby; and more industry news.

The Brewers Association (BA) has awarded more than a half a million dollars in research grants to groups focused on barley and hops development. The BA, a not-for-profit trade group representing the interests of small and independent U.S. beer companies, said the 17 grants given through its Research and Service Grants Program would “further the development of a healthy and sustainable raw materials supply chain.”

In the latest Legislative Update: Michigan enacts new requirements for satellite facilities; South Carolina brewers attempt legislative reform; full-strength beer is now available in Colorado; and more lawmaking moves.

Industry headwinds, brewery acquisitions, the emerging cannabis sector, and the seemingly never ending battle between big and small beer makers were the focus of Brewbound’s most-read stories of 2018.