“The harvesting and post-harvesting processes are oftentimes overlooked”

As soon as the green rush started, many companies ran into the market buying huge fields and facilities in order to grow as much product as possible. However, rushing to hit the ground running caused a number of issues to them, as the planning required to set up such large-scale agricultural operations…

US (WA): Canadian LP completes sale of Washington-based greenhouse

Rubicon Organics has sold its 40,000 sq. ft. hybrid greenhouse in Ferndale, Wash., for US$8.5 million to a group of real estate investors.  “The sale of the Washington greenhouse is an important step in focusing the company on our core strength of bringing certified organic cannabis to the Canadian market,”…

US (MA): Agrify to help in the fight against Coronavirus

Agrify is making its antimicrobial products, normally used to mitigate environmental threats to cannabis crops, available to the public as critically needed sanitization weapons in the fight against COVID-19. "Bluezone and Enozo are two antimicrobial products Agrify typically sells to cannabis…

In memoriam - Charlotte Figi

Charlotte was ten feet tall and carried the world on her shoulders. Inspiring is a lacking word, as are courageous and vivacious and strong and beautiful. She was divine. She grew, cultivated by a community, protected by love, demanding that the world witness her suffering so that they might find a solution. She rose every day,…

IL: Acquisition completed of Hefer Valley-based farm operations

Isracann Biosciences has acquired a 50% interest in a joint venture called Cannation for a phased partnership of two near-term farm operations located in the Hefer Valley region of Israel. "Cannation has an offtake agreement with Focus Medical Herbs, a licensed medical cannabis producer in Israel, for a…

US: Cannabis industry groups asking States for Coronavirus relief loans

A coalition of cannabis industry associations sent a letter to governors and state treasurers on Wednesday, asking them to help secure financial relief that cannabis businesses are being denied by the federal government amid the coronavirus outbreak. The letter emphasizes that cannabis companies are…

CAN (ON): Cannabis shops to re-open with delivery, click-and-collect options

Ontario’s licensed cannabis shops are set to reopen following an emergency order approved by the provincial cabinet on Tuesday, but will do so on a limited basis with the…

US (OR): Less acres of hemp in 2020

Oregon’s hemp growers are apparently retrenching in 2020 after the crop’s explosive expansion last year left many bitterly disappointed with their financial results. Roughly 6,300 acres of hemp were registered for planting during the first quarter of 2020, down more than 75% from the 25,400 acres…

"Every grower is unique in how they grow and that is amazing"

Anthony Stone is with The Stones Family Farm, a licensed cannabis producer based in the state of Oklahoma. “I opened this grow with my dad, after I grew tired from working for multiple corporate grows in Colorado and Michigan.” He thinks the culture and the art behind growing cannabis really sets this…

US (CA): Hydrofarm appoints B. John Lindeman as Chief Financial Officer

Hydrofarm Holdings Group has appointed B. John Lindeman as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective March 16, 2020. Bill Toler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,…

CAN (BC): Benchmark Botanics appoints a new CFO

Benchmark Botanics has appointed Paul Haber as it's new Chief Financial Officer. "Mr. Haber comes to Benchmark with a wealth of public company expertise having helped many…

UK: Is it profitable to enter the medicinal cannabis production market now?

Growers and investors who are willing to look at the longer-term will understand that entering the cannabis production industry NOW presents a unique opportunity for growth over the next 5-10 years. Despite the legal landscape being forever changed when medicinal cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018,…

One year of MMJDaily

It seems only yesterday, but it has actually been one year that MMJDaily has been launched. Many have thought that it was an April’s fool joke, and many have also asked why not wait for the 20th of April: fair questions, it's all we have to say. The cannabis industry shines among other horticultural sectors for the peculiar…

The shift from 'emerging' to 'essential'

Throughout the United States, while most businesses remain shuttered in the name of promoting safety and social distancing, there are a select few that have been deemed “essential businesses” and are required to stay open. This includes health care providers, law enforcement agencies, gas stations,…

Biocontrol solutions for cannabis growers

Cannabis is a relatively grey area when it comes to pesticide use. Just as the legality of cannabis cultivation in the United States differs at the federal and state level, so…

US (MI): 5M sq. ft. cannabis complex planned for Fort Custer Industrial Park

Battle Creek is taking steps to become a hub in Michigan's cannabis industry. Chicago-based DB3 Agricultural Solutions has a purchase agreement with Battle Creek Unlimited for 100 acres of land in the northwest corner of the Fort Custer Industrial Park, an area envisioned as a “cannabis campus.” DB3 is…

Developing a light spectrum – A balancing act

In an ocean of LED companies with conflicting claims, which one can be trusted for their horticultural lighting expertise? How can a grower understand which spectrum his/her…

The importance of automation in the cannabis industry

It is hard to know how to feel or how to react in these uncertain times surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. One thing that has become apparent is how important cannabis has become in our society and that production must continue during this crisis. In many parts of North America, cannabis businesses have…

WUR LightLab to be accredited for light measurements

The Wageningen University & Research LightLab has unique measuring equipment to measure characteristics such as translucency, diffusion and spectrum of greenhouse cover materials and screens. Now, WUR LightLab is the first ISO17025 accredited lab to be permitted to carry out measurements under the…

Robotic farming paving the way?

Is fully automated farming the future? It is, in fact, part of the future says Mike Zelkind, chief executive officer of 80 Acres Farms, a vertical farming company based in Hamilton, Ohio. “I think indoor farming should play a role in a holistic solution to farming—so should greenhouses and other traditional farms,” says…

US: Cannabis industry helping fight the Coronavirus

With nearly 339,000 confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the U.S., and President Trump cautioning the nation to prepare for the “toughest week,” the pandemic is projected to peak within the next several days in hot spot cities, including New York, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. The cannabis industry…

"Relying on our own seeds has proved to be fantastic for us"

Like many other businesses, the cannabis industry is heading toward supply chain segregation, allowing companies that specialize to better serve the market. This is exactly the strategy that Future Farm Technologies is deploying for its operations in the rapidly expanding hemp-derived product market.…

US: NORML responds to proposed changes to cannabis cultivation rules

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has formally submitted comments to the US Federal Register opposing the Drug Enforcement Administration’s…

US (WI): Industry leaders urge governor to classify hemp as essential

Hemp industry leaders in Wisconsin are asking state officials to reconsider its classification of hemp and hemp products as "non-essential business." In a letter written to Gov. Tony Evers, officials from the Wisconsin Hemp Alliance, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and Wisconsin Hemp Farmers and…

Everest Apothecary

We Are Growers. We Are Experts.#WeAreEverestNM**#InThisTogether #GetInGetOutGetHome #EverestApothecary #EverestNM #medicalmarijuana #medicalcannabis #medicate #mmj #nmmmj #cannabinoid #medicine pic.twitter.com/xnYW7M7CKO — Everest Apothecary (@everestnm) April 9, 2020

"We can build on hygiene procedures, now focussing on staff health"

In the new world of Covid-19, one thing is for sure, the safety of employees comes first. Infecting them through fellow employees endangers their health and that of their…

Hemp could help solve the climate crisis

Hemp grows very quickly and can be planted close together. Trees take significantly longer to grow and require much more space than hemp. A plot of land growing hemp therefore absorbs more carbon dioxide than almost any plant. Scientists estimate that for every ton of hemp grown, 1.63 tons of carbon…

Cannabis industry seeking sustainable solutions

As the cannabis industry continues to grow, sustainable cultivation and manufacturing practices are constantly scrutinized due to the considerable energy consumption, water usage, and waste management involved. Unfortunately, the environmental impact of commercial cannabis operations is often used by…

How to ensure proper crop fertilization

After prolonged fertigation or overfeeding at too-high concentrations, nutrients can build up in the growing substrate and cause plants to refuse nutrition. The effect is similar to that of imbalanced pH: nutrient antagonism. Electrical Conductivity (EC) is an important concept to remember, because it…

Biotech Institute secures novel propagation technology

Biotech Institute and Booshoot have finalized a technology licensing agreement that they say will set a new standard for the propagation of hemp and cannabis. The deal grants Biotech Institute exclusive rights to Booshoot’s innovative proprietary micropropagation methods enabling renewable, sustainable…

Indoor Ag-Con postponed until later this year

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 impact, the May 18-20, 2020 edition of Indoor Ag-Con has been postponed and will be rescheduled to run later this year. The organizers are…

Digitalization in installation techniques

Times of crisis demand creative solutions, of which digitalization seems to be the most prominent. However, digitalization was already part of recent developments in the horticultural…

Smack!