This problem will be addressed in time as more states vote to legalize, and citizens put pressure on the federal government to catch up with the times. But in the meantime, a viable alternative is available: Clean Green Certified.
What is Clean Green Certified?
Clean Green Certified is an independent third-party certification program that supports sustainable farming and land stewardship. It’s modeled on the USDA National Organic Program, and it covers many other crops besides cannabis.
Clean Green was started by Chris Van Hook in 2004. He’s an attorney who was already accredited by the USDA to certify organic operations when he started Clean Green. So he knows his stuff.
The Clean Green program requires annual on-site inspection of farms and covers the entire process including seeds, soil, nutrients, pesticides, dust and mold control, sources of electricity and water, harvesting, processing, and other more. Certification is available for processors and retailers as well so it covers the entire production and sales chain from handling to transport to labeling and everything in between. It’s a thorough system yet flexible enough to allow farms to do what works for them to operate sustainably.
His company ensures that if you see a Clean Green label on marijuana packaging, you know it was grown and processed using organic methods. So the product is organic in everything but the “official” name.
Benefits of going Clean Green
Even if you can’t be labelled organic in the eyes of the feds, Clean Green guarantees that your process and final product is up to the same rigorous standards, and there’s value to that. Our customers will demand the highest quality product, and we want to provide it. We’re committed to growing the right way and Clean Green is one of the best ways currently available to show that.
Aside from the many environmental benefits of growing sustainably outdoors (which we’ll cover in-depth in future posts), organic growing is also a way to set our brand apart. As the black market is steadily crushed by legalization, people will demand a healthier product and ask for it by name. Plus, by growing the right way from the beginning, we will be ready to meet USDA standards once legalization does happen.
For more information, visit the Clean Green website.