Category: Features

In the early stages of Hawaii’s dispensary program, there was a race among the licensees. It seemed everybody wanted to be the first to open their doors. Everybody, that is, except Noa Botanicals CEO Brian Goldstein. “Some of my investors were really pushing us to be first to open,” Goldstein…

Investing in cannabis product quality now can avoid major headaches later. The ramifications of poor quality include loss of revenue, loss of market share, product recalls or, worse, legal troubles. Manufacturers of other legal consumer goods — specifically food and drugs — do not have a choice when it comes…

George Washington has been a hero of the cannabis movement ever since he famously told his gardener to “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, sow it everywhere.” But, ironically, that seed has not been sown at Washington’s home at Mount Vernon since the man himself planted it. Until…

The commercial hemp industry in the United States, finally legal after decades of prohibition, is rapidly moving from its infancy to a thriving agricultural crop, grown not just in marijuana-friendly states, but also states that have maintained some of the most prohibitive laws in the country. As the industry continues…

As hemp and cannabis become mainstream and more states legalize recreational and medicinal marijuana, the market inches closer and closer to a commodity market. Now is the time to make sure your company is set up to flourish in this evolving and growing industry rather than dying on the vine…

Plants are acutely sensitive to both the quality and quantity of light they receive. While the ideal spectrum for crop growth has not been identified, the horticultural industry agrees that spectrum matters. Plants use visible light for photosynthesis in the wavelength range of 400 to 700 nanometers, known as photosynthetically…

Cannabis growers are increasingly taking a design-build approach to constructing their grow facilities, especially when facing tight deadline requirements between licensing and cultivating. Involvement from the outset with a design-build team — architect, engineers, general contractor — simplifies the overall construction process, helps to eliminate ugly surprises and costly errors,…

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is responsible for creating international standards for products, services, and systems. These regulations help to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency at businesses around the world. Today, we’ll specifically cover ISO 9000 standards as they relate to cannabis organizations. Of these, ISO 9001 is the…

Many factors affect the shape, branching pattern, quantity and size of blooms on flowering plants. One major factor is the ratio of minerals available to the root zone of the plant. Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium must be available in sufficient quantities to provide the basic building blocks for plant tissue.…

Looking up at the early October sky, Rob Trotter knew he had less than 10 days to harvest his 2018 crop. Although he has lost about 85% of his vision over the years, living high in the Rocky Mountains for nearly three decades has taught him enough about recognizing weather…