MONTEVIDEO — A Montevideo parent says he’s prepared to run Minnesota’s first medical marijuana manufacturing operation if the state can’t get the drug elsewhere.

Jeremy Pauling is a member of the state’s new task force that will study the impact of the new medical marijuana law. Pauling’s daughter, Katelyn, suffers from a degenerative brain disease and her family thinks medical marijuana could help her.

Pauling said he has county and city support for building an indoor growing facility to provide the marijuana extract legalized by the state earlier this year.

The Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis has until Aug. 1 to determine if the state can rely on the federal government to supply the marijuana it needs. If not, the marijuana will be grown and manufactured in Minnesota.