It’s no secret that the cannabis industry has a pesticide problem, with solutions yet to be determined. Marijuana ecommerce platform Tradiv (a cannabis startup and CanopyBoulder alumni) recently to implement quality assurance processes to help confront this problem head-on.

The initiative assists in addressing the industry’s pesticide issues by offering free testing for each vendor, allowing cultivators risk mitigation in the face of product recalls. As marijuana is federally illegal, there are no definitive guidelines restricting or banning the use of pesticides in cannabis grow operations; in Colorado, pesticide-adjacent regulation is still in its infancy with an expected rollout date of 2017. Tradiv has taken quality control a step further by providing cultivators with education that include tools with which to navigate state pesticide testing. Pesticide use is under increasing scrutiny in Colorado, and as the state refines regulations surrounding the use of pesticides in the cannabis market, Tradiv has started down an important path towards standardization.

Other than the obvious benefit to its vendors (and the end consumer), why is this significant? It’s evidence of an industry entering maturation. With companies such as Tradiv taking the steps necessary to facilitate compliance, the cannabis industry further opens itself up to responsible growth, mainstream integration and ultimately, increasingly progressive legislation. By moving towards inventory standards for the platform, the company is pushing the cannabis industry as a whole to self-directed accountability and further legitimization.

Are you a marijuana industry founder interested in growing your cannabis startup company? Join the Canopy community, and stay updated on program opportunities and industry news.