Marijuana Business Magazine July 2018

Control the Environment Mold and powdery mildew are com- mon culprits that cause cannabis to flunk lab testing. Mold thrives in hot, moist environ- ments. In a grow, standing water and a lack of humidity and temperature control are often to blame, said Ian Barringer, the founder of Rm3 Labs in Colorado. Barringer’s labs test for biocontaminants – including the state-mandated tests for yeast, mold, E. coli and salmonella – in addition to pesticides and residual solvents. Mold is more common in summer and in older buildings that have poor electric- ity to power moisture control as well as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC), according to Barringer. “Once the temperature is in the high 70s with more than 50% humidity, it takes a huge amount of HVAC to keep conditions that encourage pathogens from happening,” he said. “Gener- ally, once growers are aware of these situations, there’s a lot they can do to improve, as long as the building is in good shape.” “Frankly, a lot of times we walk in and it’s clear to see with the naked eye what the problem is: There’s dust in the HVAC vents or standing water in the grow rooms,” he said. “Those are tell-tale signs, but we see them a lot less often now because people are using 24-hour-a-day temperature and humid- ity monitoring in their grows.” It’s critical to have those systems in cure rooms, too, Barringer said. Plants have built-in defenses; they’re able to change their cell walls and mobilize chemical defenses while they’re still in the ground. Once the plants are harvested, these systems degrade or are lost entirely, which means they can’t fight pathogens. In a warm, humid cure room, mold and bacteria form quickly, he warned. In the early years of legal medical marijuana sales in Denver, most grows were housed in older industrial build- ings. Significant renovations have been needed over time to build more suitable facilities, Barringer said. Rm3 recommends growers talk with HVAC engineers to evaluate their temperature- and humidity-control systems. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, inline ultraviolet light, inline ion generators and inline ozone systems may be helpful, too, Barringer said. Newer lighting systems also are effec- tive combatants.They create less heat, which makes it easier to control the temperature in a grow, and they save on energy costs related to HVAC systems. Vigilance, Biosecurity and Good Insects At Denver-based L’Eagle Services, a recreational cannabis cultivator and retailer, prevention and early treatment are critical to avoid failed lab tests, co- founder Amy Andrle said. “Instead of chasing remediation, management teams and businesses should spend their time, energy and money on prevention,” Andrle said. L’Eagle’s cultivation team scouts its grow every morning, looking for warn- ing signs: irregularities in its plants. If a cultivator spots something that makes a plant susceptible to mold, mildew or yeast, the team culls the plant so Jerry Velarde is president of Evergreen Organix, a Nevada company that grows and processes cannabis and produces edibles, vape oils and other products. Photo courtesy of Evergreen Organix 52 • Marijuana Business Magazine • July 2018