CLOQUET, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the Office of Cannabis Management announced Thursday the signing of a new Tribal-state cannabis compact with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. 

The agreement, signed Oct. 20, establishes a framework for cooperation between the state and the Band to regulate cannabis and promote public health and safety. 

The Fond du Lac Band becomes the fourth Tribal Nation in Minnesota to enter into such a compact, following White Earth Nation, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and the Prairie Island Indian Community. 

Under the compact, the Fond du Lac Band is authorized to open up to eight off-reservation retail cannabis locations and sell cannabis products statewide through licensed distributors and retailers. 

The Band will also participate in state-led compliance, testing and inspection protocols, operating with the same privileges and responsibilities as other adult-use licensees.

The agreement builds on the Band’s launch of ANANG Native Cannabis Co. in May 2025. The company’s first dispensary is located at 1508 Big Lake Rd. in Cloquet, alongside new indoor and outdoor cultivation facilities.

The compact reaffirms the Fond du Lac Band’s sovereign authority to regulate cannabis within its jurisdiction. The Fond du Lac Cannabis Regulatory Commission will oversee licensing and enforcement using standards that meet or exceed those of Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management. Products entering the state market will undergo testing and comply with all packaging and labeling requirements under state law.

A tax-sharing agreement with the Minnesota Department of Revenue ensures that revenues from off-reservation sales will support both Tribal and state initiatives.

While each Tribal-state compact differs by Nation, all include commitments to product testing, data collection and customer safety. The agreements also create opportunities for Tribal Nations to partner with state-licensed businesses to sell Tribally grown cannabis products wholesale into the state market.

The Legislature authorized the governor to negotiate these compacts to promote public health, establish a fair and well-regulated cannabis market and create financial benefits for both the state and Tribal Nations.

“This compact is more than a regulatory agreement,” said Bruce M. Savage, chairman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. “It reflects our Tribal sovereignty, our values as Anishinaabe people, and our vision for economic self-determination. It also affirms the respect and responsibility that define government-to-government relationships, and reinforces our role as leaders in building a safe and inclusive cannabis marketplace for our community and beyond.”

“Minnesota’s cannabis market is coming together as important partnerships fall into place, creating opportunities for mutual prosperity for Minnesotans and citizens of Tribal Nations,” said Eric Taubel, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management. “The compact between the state and the Fond du Lac Band builds on our shared commitment to establish a safe and equitable cannabis market that consumers can trust.”