The Cannabis Conservancy September 2016 TCC FAQ · The Cannabis Conservancy September 2016 TCC FAQ...
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The Cannabis Conservancy September 2016 TCC FAQ The Cannabis Conservancy Nelson, BC • Grass Valley, CA • Denver, CO • Boston, MA • New Paltz, NY +1.888.464.5515 • [email protected] • www.cannabisconservancy.com • STEWARDSHIP • EDUCATION • CERTIFICATION • Frequently Asked Questions What differentiates TCC from other certifications? TCC is the only sustainability certification on the market that is Cannabis-specific and takes a lifecycle approach to Cannabis cultivation. Our certification is backed by the TCC Standards and a robust internal Quality Management System. Because nobody is going to incinerate a tomato or concentrate a cucumber, we have designed our Standards to take into consideration the fact that people smoke Cannabis and extract it to make concentrates and edibles. Though Cannabis is a non-toxic plant, irresponsible cultivation techniques can create toxicity due to residuals of pesticides, herbicides, and other amendments not aligned with safe human consumption practices. TCC’s certification process is aligned with National and International standards for certification bodies including ISO, IFOAM, ISEAL, and USDA’s NOP. TCC is the first certifying body to create a direct relationship between growers and consumers via our MYGrow™ QR code program. What is a Grower Group (GG)? A GG is a group of farms that are distributing under a common brand. Within a GG, many small farms produce flowers for a central brand and this brand distributes the products under one unified label. This certifying option offers grower groups and their members a cost effective way of certifying their product. The Grower Group option requires a multi-year commitment. A detailed description of the process is on our website. What is MYGrow™? MYGrow™ is a QR code program that allows a farmer or grower group to ‘tell their story’ by using a unique QR code certification label that, when scanned, takes a consumer to a grower-created page. This page serves as a platform for the farmer to share details about their farm, their cultivation practices, the values of the company, or anything else that sets them apart and makes their certified product worth a premium. Check out MYGrow on our website. Is it worth getting a certification in California even though MMRSA has not gone into effect yet? Absolutely! With our current laws regulating MMJ dispensaries, a TCC certification will prove that you are a leader in the industry and differentiate your products from everything else on the shelf. Our Certification will help to put producers in good standing as they apply for the necessary permits. What does sustainable agriculture mean? Sustainable agriculture is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.
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Transcript of The Cannabis Conservancy September 2016 TCC FAQ · The Cannabis Conservancy September 2016 TCC FAQ...
The Cannabis Conservancy September 2016 TCC FAQ
T h e C a n n a b i s C o n s e r v a n c y Nelson, BC • Grass Valley, CA • Denver, CO • Boston, MA • New Paltz, NY
+1.888.464.5515 • [email protected] • www.cannabisconservancy.com
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FrequentlyAskedQuestionsWhatdifferentiatesTCCfromothercertifications?TCC is theonly sustainabilitycertificationon themarket that isCannabis-specificand takesa lifecycleapproachtoCannabiscultivation.OurcertificationisbackedbytheTCCStandardsandarobustinternalQualityManagementSystem.Because nobody is going to incinerate a tomato or concentrate a cucumber, we have designed ourStandards to take into consideration the fact that people smoke Cannabis and extract it to makeconcentratesandedibles.ThoughCannabisisanon-toxicplant,irresponsiblecultivationtechniquescancreatetoxicityduetoresidualsofpesticides,herbicides,andotheramendmentsnotalignedwithsafehumanconsumptionpractices.TCC’s certificationprocess isalignedwithNationaland International standards forcertificationbodiesincludingISO,IFOAM,ISEAL,andUSDA’sNOP.TCC is thefirstcertifyingbodytocreateadirectrelationshipbetweengrowersandconsumersviaourMYGrow™QRcodeprogram.WhatisaGrowerGroup(GG)?AGGisagroupoffarmsthataredistributingunderacommonbrand.WithinaGG,manysmallfarmsproduceflowersforacentralbrandandthisbranddistributestheproductsunderoneunifiedlabel.Thiscertifyingoptionoffersgrowergroupsandtheirmembersacosteffectivewayofcertifyingtheirproduct.TheGrowerGroupoptionrequiresamulti-yearcommitment.Adetaileddescriptionoftheprocessisonourwebsite.WhatisMYGrow™?MYGrow™isaQRcodeprogramthatallowsafarmerorgrowergroupto‘telltheirstory’byusingauniqueQRcodecertificationlabelthat,whenscanned,takesaconsumertoagrower-createdpage.Thispageservesasaplatformforthefarmertosharedetailsabouttheirfarm,theircultivationpractices,thevaluesofthecompany,oranythingelsethatsetsthemapartandmakestheircertifiedproductworthapremium.CheckoutMYGrowonourwebsite.IsitworthgettingacertificationinCaliforniaeventhoughMMRSAhasnotgoneintoeffectyet?Absolutely!WithourcurrentlawsregulatingMMJdispensaries,aTCCcertificationwillprovethatyouarealeaderintheindustryanddifferentiateyourproductsfromeverythingelseontheshelf.OurCertificationwillhelptoputproducersingoodstandingastheyapplyforthenecessarypermits.Whatdoessustainableagriculturemean?Sustainableagricultureistheproductionoffood,fiber,orotherplantoranimalproductsusingfarmingtechniquesthatprotecttheenvironment,publichealth,humancommunities,andanimalwelfare.
TCC FAQ September 2016
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Whatdoesregenerativeagriculturemean?Regenerativeagricultureisasub-sectorpracticeofsustainablefarmingdesignedtobuildsoilhealthortoregenerateunhealthysoils.Regenerativefarmersdon’tjustwanttousethesoil-theywanttomaintainandevenimproveit.IbuyOrganictomatoes-whycan’tIjustbuyOrganicCannabis?Therearealotofmisconceptionsabouttheterm“organic”.Theoriginaldefinitionoforganicmaterialisanythingrelatingtoorderivedfromlivingmatter.Inthisdefinition,youareorganic;yourdogisorganic;evenpaperisorganic,becauseitcomesfromtrees.Whenitcomestofood,organichasdevelopedanothermeaning-freefrompesticides,chemicals,andother things that are harmful for people and the environment. Certifying a product asUSDAOrganicmeansthatithasbeenproventobeincompliancewithUSDAOrganicStandards.TheUSDAcannotcertifyCannabisasorganic,becausetheUSDAisafederalorganization,andonthefederallevelCannabisisstillconsideredaScheduleIdrug.Because organic has so many interpretations, and Cannabis cannot be Certified Organic, somethingallegedly beingorganic or natural doesn’t necessarilymean that it’s good for you - as oneof our co-founder’sfatherusedtosay,“there’snothingmorenaturalandorganicthanrattlesnakevenom”.EvenwhentheUSfullylegalizesCannabisanditcanreceiveUSDAOrganiccertification,TCCCertificationwillstillbeimportantandrelevant.Organiccertificationfocusesontheproductsthatgointotheplantsand the way the land is utilized. TCC Certification not only covers these aspects, but also includesconsiderations such as resource (energy and water) use, waste management, and Cannabis-specificconsiderationslikeharvestandpost-harvestprocesses.Howmuchdoesthecertificationcost?TCCcertificationcostsarebasedonthesizeoftheareaofcultivationtobecertified.
IndividualCertificationPricingGuidelines
Designation: Cottage Small Medium Large XL Multi-Acre
Size(Sq.Ft.) 0-2,000 2,001-5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-22,000 22,001-44,000 44,000+
Price($USD) $2,000 $3,000 $4,500 $6,000 $7,500 $10,000*
*Basepriceforoneacre(44,000sq.ft.)–supplementaryfeeforeachadditionalacrewillapply.Thecostoftravel,accommodationandperdiemisextrahowever,TCCauditorswillattempttoscheduleauditstripstomaximizeeconomicefficiencyforgrowers.PleasecontactTCCforyourGrowerGrouppricingestimate.
TCC FAQ September 2016
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WheredoesTCCcertify?AnywhereandeverywherethathassomeformoflegalCannabis(includingindustrialhemp).OurheadofficeisinDenver,COandwehavesatelliteofficesinCalifornia,NewYork,MassachusettsandBritish Columbia, Canada. Though we are based in North America, TCC certifies Cannabis cultivatorsglobally.WhatisanSOP?A Standard Operating Procedure establishes or prescribes methods to be followed routinely for theperformanceofdesignatedoperationsorindesignatedsituations.WhatisaQMS?AQualityManagementSystemisasetofpolicies,processes,andproceduresrequiredforplanningandexecution(production/development/service)inthecorebusinessareaofanorganization(i.e.areasthatcanimpacttheorganization'sabilitytomeetcustomerrequirements).Whatdoesitmeantobeaudited?Anauditispartofaprocess-basedformofassurance.Afterapre-assessmentorproducerself-assessmentiscompleted,aTCCauditorwillcontactthegrowertodetailthenon-conformances(NC)thatwerenotedduringthepre-orself-assessment.Oncethatiscompleted,theauditorwillarrangeadatetodoasitevisit.TheTCCauditormayalsorequestthatyouproviderecordswhichtheymayreviewpriortoasitevisit.Duringthesitevisit,theauditorwillconfirmtheinformationprovidedintheselfassessment,interviewthegrowerandworkers,accessallareasofthecultivationareathatarepertinenttotheTCCStandardrequirements, review records, take samples of plantmaterial and soil from the cultivation area, takesamplesofcuredproduct,andanyotheritemsnotedintheauditplanprovidedtothegrowerbeforethesitevisitiscompleted.Nosurprises!Alldetailsoftheauditwillbeknowntothegrowerbeforethesitevisit.Howlongdoesthecertificationlast?The certification lasts for 1 year for individual farmers and 5 years for grower groups, andmust berenewedandassessedaspartofanannualormultiyearcontract.DoesTCCdoconsultations?BecauseofourstrictConflictofInterestPolicy,TCCdoesnotdoconsultations.Inotherwords,wecannotauditourownwork.WedoprovidetemplatesforcreatingSOPsandaQMSbasedonexistingproceduresindividualizedtoeachfarm,andwearehappytoansweranyquestionsyoumayhavethroughoutthecertificationprocess.WithTCC’stemplatesforconductinginternalauditsonenergy,water,andwaste,moneyissavedbynotrelyingonoutsideconsultantsfortheseprocesses.Ifyouarestillinterestedinworkingwithaconsultant,wecanputyouincontactwithaTCCCertifiedConsultantorotherexpertswhowouldbehappytoconsultwithyou.
TCC FAQ September 2016
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DoesTCCcertificationtakeplaceoflocalpermits,licenses,etc.?No, it does not take the place of local, state or regional permits. However, the process of being TCCcertifiedmayhelpyouaddressmanyoftheareasthatarerequiredasapartoflocalorstatepermittingprocesses.TCC is a third-party, voluntary certification that assures the processes ofCannabis production are incompliancewithourin-depth5pillarsofStandards:
• Policy,• Procedure,• EnergyUse,• WaterUseand• Wasteprocedures.
DoesTCCcertifyanythingbesidesflowers?CurrentlyTCConlycertifiestheproductionofCannabis flowersandotherplantmaterial.Howeverweintendtobegincertificationofconcentrates,edibles,andotherCannabisproductsinthenearfuture.Whatistheprocessforbecomingcertified?See“Whatdoesitmeantobeaudited?”above.
1. InitialContact2. Pre-AssessmentorSelf-Assessment3. Audit4. CorrectiveActionPlan(ifneeded)5. CorrectiveActionPlanVerification(ifneeded)6. Certification
SeeourCertificationFlowChartformoredetails.DoIhavetobelegal?Yes-TCCStandardsincludebeingincompliancewithallStateandlocalregulations.DoIhavetobeorganic?Essentially,yes.Thoughwecannotlegallyusetheword“certifiedorganic”(onlytheUSDAcandothat),theTCCcertificationrequiresthat“organic”methodsareusedtoproduceproduct.FormoreinformationonOrganicCannabis,seethesectionabovetitled“IbuyOrganictomatoes-whycan’tIjustbuyOrganicCannabis?”.AreTCCcertifiedproductspesticidefree?Because organic growing techniques are used for the production of certified product, no syntheticinsecticides, fungicides, or othermaterials can be used. All TCC certified products are tested at TCC-approvedlabsandmusttestnegativeforresidueofsyntheticpesticides.However,organicgrowersmayusenaturalpesticidesandfungicidesthatareontheTCC-permittedlist.Thesearetypicallynatural,plant-basedmaterials;mostarealsoonthelistallowedbytheUSDAOrganic-NOP,CCOF,andotherorganiccertificationstandards.
TCC FAQ September 2016
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CanIgrowindoors?Yes.TCCcertificationworksonapoint-basedsystemand,thoughlamp-grownpracticesdonotscorethehighestinthisregard,itisnotadisqualifierforcertification.CanIgrowhydroponically?Yes.Hydroponicgrowinginitsessencecanbequitesustainable.Eachgrowsiteisconsideredindividuallyfortheirimpactsandapproachtoresponsibleagricultureandthiswillbetakenintoconsiderationduringtheauditingprocess.WhatifIfailanaudit?Youcan’tfailtheactualaudit-theonlywayyoucan“fail”isthroughnotcorrectingnon-conformancesthatwere noted during the audit process. The TCC certification process requires aminimum level ofcompliancetocriticalareasoftheTCCstandard.Thesemustbeadheredtoinordertobecompliantandtobecomecertified.Ifnon-conformancesarefound,theseareasmustbecorrectedwithinashorttimeframe(generally30days)beforecertificationcanbecompleted.OtherareasoftheStandardhaveacorrectiveactiontimeperiodof45-60days,dependingonthenatureoftheareabeingassessed.Wedon’twantanyonetofailthisprocess,andwillhelpasmuchaspossibletoensureyouunderstandwhatneedstobedone(andhowtodoit)inordertocomplywithallofourStandards.HowlongdoIneedtobegintheprocessbeforecertifyingaproduct?Thoughanytimeisagoodtimetobegintheprocessofcertification,wegenerallyrequirea90dayperiodprior toharvest inorder to assure that theproducer’s record keeping is fully inplaceandable tobeauditedappropriately.TheTCCstandardisrobustanddetailed.Dependingonagrower’scurrentpolicy,recordkeeping,documentation,and implementation,theactualcertificationauditmayhappenratherquickly.Forothergrowers,thegrowingpracticesmaybeinplaceandcompliant,buttherecordkeeping,policies,anddocumentationmayneedmoreworkandmoretimetoprepare.
