Marijuana Business Magazine July 2018

C annabis cultivators who use organic practices can’t get something that’s available to producers in other agricultural industries: organic certification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s organic certification has existed since 2000, with USDA-authorized private agencies perform- ing third-party inspections. But because of Uncle Sam’s prohibition on marijuana, the USDA cannot certify can- nabis as organic. To plug the gap, several private organizations have emerged to provide third-party certification services for com- mercial cannabis growers, giv- ing them an opportunity to tell customers they use organic methods. Some services base their standards on those of the National Organic Program, an entity inside the USDA respon- sible for developing national standards for organic prod- ucts, and/or the Organic Mate- rials Review Institute (OMRI), an independent, international nonprofit group that deter- mines what inputs can be used in organic production and processing. Others are even more stringent. Here are certifying organizations marijuana businesses can consider: Certified Kind: This Eugene, Oregon-based organiza- tion bills itself as the cannabis industry’s only true equiva- lent to USDA organic certification. Founded in 2014 by vet- eran organic inspectors from other industries in Oregon, Certified Kind bases its standards on OMRI standards and includes additional requirements for fair labor prac- tices. The group has certified cannabis farms in Oregon, Colorado, Washington and other states. The firm charges $2,500 for a first-time inspection and certification, while annual renewals start at $2,500 for smaller grows but increase in price as the size of the grow site increases. Clean Green Certified: Started in 2004 in Crescent City, California, by attorney Christopher Van Hook, Clean Green Certified today serves seven states. The certifica- tion is based on state, federal and international organic production and food-handling guidelines. It also requires businesses to implement a carbon footprint-reduction program. The annual cost of a Clean Green certification is $2,000. Compliant Farms Certified: A pair of watershed and land-management experts from California’s Humboldt County manage this organization. The certification com- bines the principles of adaptive watershed management with a host of sustainable growing practices designed to maintain watershed environments. The certification is free but comes as part of a broader suite of environmental consulting and educational services. Demeter Association Biody- namic Certification: Founded in 1985, the Demeter Associa- tion in Philomath, Oregon, is the U.S. chapter of Demeter Inter- national, which was founded in 1928 and is perhaps the first and oldest biodynamic and organic certification program in the world. Based in Darmstadt, Germany, Demeter International provides biodynamic cer- tification to farms in some 50 countries and is considered a more rigorous standard than USDA organic. Demeter performs both organic and biodynamic certifications, but for cannabis it offers only biodynamic certification. The certification fee is $550, but $200 of that is a deposit on the inspection, which costs between $800 and $1,000. Dragonfly Earth Medicine Pure: Created by a closed- loop farming family from British Columbia, Canada, DEM Pure is one of the most rigorous certifications, but 84 cannabis farms had attained the status through mid-May. To receive a certification, farmers must use at least six closed-loop practices such as recycling water and using only natural plant and animal products from your farm as inputs for nutrient mixes. The certification is free. – Omar Sacirbey Organic Certification Options SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION July 2018 • Marijuana Business Magazine • 73