We recently had the privilege to participate in a Q&A on Ed Rosenthal’s Instagram. We took to the comment section to answer growers’ questions about HVAC, humidity control, and mold and powdery mildew (PM) prevention.
Biosecurity is quickly becoming one of the most important topics in the cannabis industry. Testing standards are getting stricter and rates of tainted crops are sky rocketing, causing supply shortages and significant financial blows to cultivators all over the continent. Crops with mold or fungus can be deadly to consumers—especially those with lower immune systems, like many medical users. The alternative for many cultivators is to use chemicals like pesticides and fungicides to combat mold but unfortunately, these still pose a threat to consumers, placing cultivators in a catch-22 situation. Should you risk mold and fungus by avoiding chemicals? Or should you introduce potentially harmful chemicals to your plants to ensure against mold and fungus? Neither is a good option. Not only do these options put consumers at risk but, with increased regulation, they also put cultivators at risk of losing significant profits from having to dispose of sub-par harvests.
Lately, it seems every other article we read is about growers having to dispose of large percentages of their crops due to testing failures. The recent tightening of regulations on pesticides and fungicides in Oregon has had a serious effect on cultivators as they try to figure out new ways to grow healthy plants without depending on chemicals. But this isn’t just an Oregon problem. More states are joining the cannabis market and, with that, comes stricter testing regulations. In fact, a new study by Steep Hill Labs shows that if California were to adopt similar testing standards to those used by Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP), nearly 83% of crops would fail. That is no small issue.
The biosecurity of a cultivation facility is just as important as the physical security of the facility. The physical security includes measures such as locks, cameras, fences, lighting and more and is often, at least in part, required by law. Biosecurity includes measures such as air sanitation, dehumidification, cleaning procedures and more and is often not directly required, though can become an indirect requirement due to product testing and purity requirements.
Powdery mildew can be a huge source of pain for any grower. Once it has infected a garden, it can seem virtually impossible to get rid of. Luckily, there are a few ways to at least minimize the damage and risk of powdery mildew spreading from plant-to-plant throughout your cultivation facility.