Spring brings pivotal change to the Washington State 502 Industry. It has been years in the making... lots of talk, discussion and chatter among the industry and the government. And here we are: Pesticides! Pesticide Testing, more specifically.
Next month a new chapter will begin in Washington state as the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) takes the bold step of scrapping and simplifying the former seed-to-sale traceability program. The WSLCB has acknowledged stakeholders have long suffered using the state’s cannabis tracking software. Alas, a whole new world (of software – or not?) is planned with an effort to simplify the process for all industry participants.
So before we begin with the nitty-gritty, let’s start with a blog teaser...
Back in late 2019 (Yes, that feels like ages ago!) Confidence was approached by a Minnesota based non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) about testing some local CBD products. The Minnesota Hemp Farmers & Manufacturers Association (MHFMA) had become familiar with Confidence Analytics and approached our Operations Director, Pat Reynolds, for some assistance. Matthew Kaiser, MHFMA Program Director, had shared with Pat his frustration, and concern, over CBD label accuracy in the relatively unregulated CBD marketplace. What was in those consumer products that the MHFMA were seeing on the shelves of the retail space? MHFMA wanted to know! And we wanted to help.
Located in northwestern Washington state – closer to Vancouver, B.C. than Seattle – is the trendy city of Bellingham. (Bellingham fun facts: named for Sir William Bellingham who died in 1826. Sir Bellingham, who never even saw the ocean or the land that would be named for him, oversaw provision procurement for the Vancouver Expedition as Controller of Storekeepers Accounts for the Royal Navy. Bellingham is the home to Western Washington University and a gateway spot to the Cascades, including Mt. Baker and the San Juan Islands.) Bellingham is also home to our Tested with Confidence Program™ (TWC) retail partner – 2020 Solutions. Recently we had an opportunity to connect with 2020 Solutions about their shopper base. Here is some of what they shared:
There have always been “standouts” in every industry – people/groups/companies that make the “extra” effort in producing their products. Cannabis is no different. A few years back our lab customers were vocal with their frustration about not having their cannabis product recognized as organic. Organic being one of those “standout” attributes indicating extra care associated with a product and aiding consumer purchasing confidence. You see though, “Organic” is pretty much a federally protected label – governed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under strict guidelines. And as you know – cannabis and the feds – well – for today are at odds. With weed being federally illegal – devoted and environmentally-focused cannabis folks weren’t, and still aren’t, allowed to use that organic label. Why does that matter? Because many consumers are concerned with what goes into the cannabis product that they use – whether by inhalation, ingestion, or application. From that thought process – and with the intent to fill a void – the Tested with Confidence Program™ was born.