The supply chain will be intact. The material can be moved freely in and out, which is what you’ll want to do.
By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent
In a podcast produced by the Missouri Cannabis Regulation Division, the head of Missouri’s cannabis testing division said that the unannounced product sampling visits shouldn’t have any impact on business.
Ryan Bernard said, “This is just going to be another way of complying, you guys.” So, keep doing business the same way 100 percent.
Cannabis regulators started arriving at licensed manufacturing and cultivation facilities unannounced on July 1 to take products from the shelves. It will then be sent to the Missouri State Public Health Reference Laboratory where it will undergo testing for mold, pesticides, and other substances.
Bernard said the process will not disrupt production, and it will be paid for by “either by DCR’s budget or state public health lab’s budget.”
He said that the supply chain would remain intact. “You will be able move this material freely in and out, and should.”
The team wants to taste four to seven grams (or more) of the final marijuana product. The team will sample the package if it contains four to seven grams or more.
Bernard explained: “I want to emphasize that the initial tag will be one per facility. We’re not going to collect 10 tags at a time from any facility.” Then, as infrastructure develops at the public health laboratory of the state, we’ll gradually start expanding that.
Bernard says he’ll randomly select based upon the seed-to sale tracking system of the state, called Metrc.
If it was today, he would pull up your stock in our system and select randomly a few samples to bring to your plant.
His team said it would collect “a full representative sample” if the product failed at the laboratory.
He said that if the product failed at this point, a probe would be launched. We may take samples from the dispensaries if the materials are no longer in the originating facility.
All testing for Missouri cannabis products takes place in private laboratories licensed by Missouri. It is the first time the division has attempted to check on the quality of work done by licensed testing laboratories tasked with assuring the safety of Missouri’s marijuana products.
In the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, lawmakers began to allocate $3.8 million for the testing of this type of sample at the laboratory. According to budget documents, the majority of the money was not spent because cannabis testing methods “were still in the implementation process.” The state budget documents indicate that another $2.4 million has been allocated to the current fiscal period, but it is unclear what percentage of this money was spent.
States are establishing reference labs to confirm private laboratory testing of cannabis, as announced in the July release by the division.
Amy Moore is the director of this division. She said, “This lab will play a key role in the development of science-based, reliable cannabis testing protocol.” We are thankful for the collaboration and expertise of many national and state partners, including the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory that has helped to launch this Missouri initiative.
This story was first published by Missouri Independent.
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