The global cannabis market is continuing to expand and it is projected to grow to $70 billion by 2028. As the cannabis market has continued to grow, both track and trace and seed to sale got introduced, but what do these two terms mean and how are they different from each other?
The cannabis industry can be complex and there are a lot of different terms, technologies, and systems to learn about when running a cannabis business. Two terms that can come up regularly are "seed to sale" and "track and trace."
The problem is that these terms can cause some confusion as not everyone understands them. The reality is that both of these terms are quite straightforward once you know what they mean.
At Canix, we have decided to break down what both of these terms mean and what their key differences are.
So if you would like to learn the difference between seed to sale and track and trace, then keep reading.
Before we get into the key differences between seed to sale and track and trace, let's first cover what seed to sale is. We have included a definition below.
Seed to sale is tracking software that gets used for tracking the cultivation, processing, and sales of cannabis products. The seed to sale tracks each cannabis plant that is used to create a product on every dispensary shelf.
Every legal cannabis state in the US is required by law to use seed-to-sale tracking software.
However, there are some exceptions for medical marijuana, as it does not always need to get tracked by seed-to-sale. Of course, this all depends on the laws of the state, as each state has different rules.
Seed to sale helps to verify the correct method for preparing cannabis products is being used in the production cycle.
The seed-to-sale software tracks the seeds and clones that get included in cannabis products. It also follows the entire creation and production process.
This includes tracking mature and immature plants, the transportation process, what retailers' products get harvested, when products get bought, and much more.
As well as this, it also tracks products getting tested properly and containing the appropriate weight and dosage. Each batch of products will also be marked so they can get traced by seed to sale.
While many people get seed to sale and track and trace confused, they are very different from each other. We have covered more about what track and trace are below.
Track and trace gets used by regulators so that they can track key compliance data information about cannabis products. The "track" aspects of track and trace refer to the ability to track each aspect of the production process.
The "trace" aspect of track and trace refers to the ability to trace any information which may have caused issues during the production process. For example, there are times when bad cannabis can enter the market, and regulating bodies need to be aware of this.
Another thing that can happen is that fraud can get committed or certain cannabis products can get stolen. If this happens, then regulatory bodies must know about this.
It's also crucial that they can retrace the steps to pinpoint exactly what the problem is and what has caused issues with the cannabis.
Access to track and trace data is a requirement by regulatory bodies so that they can ensure that compliance data is being followed properly. However, regulatory bodies are not given access to every piece of compliance data that seed-to-sale software has collected.
Also, track and trace allow regulatory bodies to analyze patterns and compliance data trends within the cannabis industry.
There are instances where cannabis suppliers and licensed business owners do not follow compliance data. If this happens, then regulatory bodies can use track and trace to identify what compliance data has not been followed and address the issue appropriately.
This information is crucial to regulatory bodies as it allows them to have clarity and visibility into compliance data.
One of the key differences between these two different types of software is who uses each software. Generally speaking, seed to sale is used by cannabis suppliers, manufacturers, and all licensed cannabis business owners.
Of course, seed to sale can be used by regulatory bodies if needed to gain information on compliance data. However, track and trace are only used by regulatory bodies, and licensed cannabis businesses do not have access to it.
The role that each of these software solutions play is slightly different. Seed and sale are used to collect information on the cannabis production process.
However, track and trace acts as a tool specifically to help analyze compliance data and look at data from seed to sale.
Seed to sale and track and trace can seem confusing; however, once you know what roles each software plays it becomes much simpler. If you're a cannabis cultivator, then you mustn't get yourself in trouble with regulations because of compliance data issues.
The best way to avoid this is to use cannabis software that tracks your information accurately. The good news is that at Canix, we have excellent cannabis software to help you track your inventory, production process, and much more.
If you would like to learn more about our cannabis software, contact us today.
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