by Grow Up Conference | Jun 19, 2019
Presentation
Terpenoids and flavonoids are fragrant (not necessarily aromatic) oils that give cannabis its flavour profile and are often the subtle yet defining characteristic of the strains of the plant. The relative ratios of these compounds along with the most canonical cannabis natural products, such as CBD and THC, contribute to a defining phenomenon called the “Entourage Effect” (first proposed by S. Ben-Shabat, and by Raphael Mechoulam), which suggests that the effects of these non-psychoactive compounds are more significant to the psychoactive experience than the sum of their parts. The novel concept has led to new areas of research in medicine (such as pain management) of how changing these ratios can customize the user’s experience. Here, the effects of terpenes, flavonoids and phytocannabinoids on the human body are explored, and that an inevitable business model that the cannabis industry will move towards will reflect an online consumer experience of creating your own cultivar.
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 19, 2019
Panel Discussion
From a consumer standpoint, the response to legalized marijuana was mixed. The product could be fresh, or sit in transit long enough to crumble into powder. THC levels in the product description had variances from 12% to 25% (well, which IS it?). The industry needed guidelines, and the government would be the first to enforce them when it came to new regs for edibles and oils (10 mg of THC per edibles package, 1000 mg per package for extracts). But there’s plenty left for the industry to self-regulate, and plenty of money on the line. Sales to Europe demands Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance, which does not yet exist in Canada. It’s an all-encompassing, thoroughly documented record of all aspects of production, and its implementation could be a deal-breaker for Canadian cannabis. In this session, we talk standards.
Moderated By: Megan Henderson
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 19, 2019
Presentation
With the advent of cannabis legalization and proliferation of cannabis growing facilities, there is uncertainty in jurisdictions across the country as to how these facilities should be valued and treated for municipal property taxation purposes. Are they farms, commercial or industrial operations? Inherent in this question is the tension between fair treatment for cannabis businesses and municipalities seeking to reap the benefits of having cannabis grow ops in their communities. This presentation will provide an overview of how cannabis facilities are currently treated for property tax purposes across the country, with commentary on prospects for the future. The goal is for participants to understand the impact of property taxes on a cannabis company’s bottom line.
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 19, 2019
Panel Discussion
As the projected $22 billion worldwide market becomes reality, proprietary concerns will affect cannabis entrepreneurs and researchers. It’s worth knowing that there’s pre-existing legislation called the Plant Breeders Rights Act that protects exclusivity for creators of new strains and varieties of commercial plants. If they meet the criteria, holders of PBRs can, “exclude others from selling, producing, exporting, importing, making repeated use of, conditioning, and stocking the propagating material of the protected plant variety for 20 or 25 years.” What does it mean to “own” a strain of cannabis? And what do you risk if you don’t protect your leafy intellectual property? This session looks at how you can protect yourself.
Moderated By: Alison Hayman
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 19, 2019
Panel Discussion
There probably wouldn’t even be a massive indoor grow-op industry without prohibition. Out of sight, a surreptitious science grew up around a controlled year-round environment, high in CO2, where strains could be managed around-the-clock. But now that growers are free to operate in the open, a segment of the industry and the consumer has expressed a preference for the “natural” product. An outdoor grower can get by with a few workers until harvest, whereas a grow-op needs a contingent of fulltime staff to prune, water and measure CO2 and nutrients. And yet, it’s hard to argue with indoor success. But argue we will, or at least heatedly debate both sides.
Moderated By: Brian Coutts
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 19, 2019
Separate Ticketed Event.
In a business where the female plant is queen, it’s ironic that gender bias would exist at all. But an industry that continues to write its own rules has an opportunity to reject the “boys club” mentality and reward the contribution of women, tangibly through pay-equity and other issues, and attitudinally. This networking session is a coffee-fueled think-tank on how to facilitate the full participation of women in our workplaces.
Join our trained facilitators through a “pro-active solution-based” workshop designed to gather the collective wisdom of the room and generate applicable solutions for change. Helping to create a workplace where women are encouraged to apply and when engaged can participate fully. This networking breakfast allows female cultivators and entrepreneurs to share their experiences, challenges and successes with others in the cannabis business. There are inspirational stories to be heard, and relationships to forge.
Moderated By: Samantha Roman
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 18, 2019
Presentation
Genomics research and proper plant breeding practices for nascent industries like cannabis, including hemp, are critical for the efficient and predictable development of plant varieties with commercially valuable traits. These varieties support the large-scale production of consistent, stable, and profitable crops.
Modern-day large-scale agronomic crops have benefited from decades of professional breeding programs to streamline production systems. The success of cannabis and hemp cultivation hinges on similar systems to provide efficient mechanical harvesting and target desirable characteristics like disease- and pest-resistance, yield, and performance across different growing environments. This ensures a stable supply chain for ingredients derived from these crops and growers’ compliance with federal and state regulations.
Dr. Vaught will discuss how embracing genomics-driven breeding technologies will allow growers in the cannabis industry and beyond to produce reliable, consistent, and profitable crops at scale. He will draw on knowledge gained from his company’s industry-leading breeding platform, FRB’s support and collaboration of hemp genome research at UC Davis, and its recently opened breeding program branch at CRAG-IRTA.
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 18, 2019
Panel Discussion
Regulatory compliance remains a major concern for marijuana producers and suppliers. Packaging designs that meet the requirements on font size, government-mandated information and disclaimers and packing real estate put pressure on efforts to reduce waste and efficiently maximize recycling. Those in the industry look with concern to pressures currently being experienced by users of single-use plastics and look to industry professionals for guidance on how best to deal with not only recycled but with organic wastes, wastewater and odour as well. This session will examine the regulatory landscape and discuss which regs may be well-intentioned but counter-productive. We will hear about technical issues and solutions, and consider how Federal and Provincial marijuana regulatory requirements can also be at odds with environmental initiatives.
Moderated By: Richard Butler
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 18, 2019
Panel Discussion
During prohibition, law enforcement hunting indoor grow-ops targeted properties that used copious electricity. That was an early hint of the power glut that now faces the industry. About a third of the average indoor grower’s overhead is lighting costs. A typical plant uses the equivalent of 70 gallons of oil from seed to harvest. And from 1-3% of the North American power grid may be taken up by cannabis farms. The commitment to go green is not just planet conscious. Eco commitments sway investors and improves the bottom line. This session will examine green options, include replacing high-pressure sodium lights with LED, using off-the-grid solar panels and cutting edge batteries to power-up, and – what a concept! – growing outdoors and using free sunlight.
Moderated By: Max Cherney
by Grow Up Conference | Jun 18, 2019
Panel Discussion
Amid the noise of legalization, the non-psychoactive “other weed” sat quietly, with a relative few appreciating its almost limitless profit potential. That’s changing in a hurry, with legalized hemp production in the U.S. coming to the rescue of a CBD industry that can’t cope with a craze. But CBD oil production is just the beginning. There may be trillions of dollars in revenue once you factor in everything hemp can produce – from biodiesel fuels, to paper, to cloth, to enviro-friendly bio-plastics, all at an accelerated growth rate compared to other agri-business products. Kick-starting all these ideas will require billions of dollars in start-up funding, and many heads will have to be turned and minds changed. This session will offer up a road-map to a hemp-fueled future.
Moderated By: Vin Maru
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