A computer program that documents and tracks cannabis from a plant form to a product on a dispensary shelf. Every legal cannabis state is required by law to have seed-to-sale tracking software, but states with only medical marijuana may or may not be required to have it.

“Our-seed-to-sale platform makes it easy for dispensaries to track inventory and profits.”  

“Seed-to-sale technology can help cultivators improve yields by keeping meticulous records.”

What is seed-to-sale technology?

In order for states to legalize the cultivation, distribution, and sale of cannabis, they must adhere to legislation designed to monitor all stages of the production and retail processes. Seed-to-sale software, such as Metrc, documents buying seeds and clones, growth of immature and mature plants, when harvesting occurs, when product is transported, and when product is sold to retailers, extractors, or customers. 

This software ensures that cannabis business owners document the correct amounts of harvests and products, and that products are tested appropriately. In practice, every gram, eighth, ounce, etc. of flower, plus every pre-roll, edible, topical, and any other cannabis product belongs to a batch marked by a unique tag or QR code, which is updated as the plant or product moves through the production or retail cycle. 

Why is seed-to-sale required to operate in the cannabis industry?

Because cannabis is still federally illegal, states must operate with transparency to avoid scrutiny. To legally operate as a cannabis company, businesses must provide comprehensive and consistent records of their operations, procedures, and profits. 

While it may seem like overkill, seed-to-sale tracking is crucial in the event of theft, contaminated product, and auditing, as it provides a means for cannabis employers to survey losses and identify bad batches, and it shows a record of their compliance to state law.

Does medical marijuana require seed-to-sale tracking?

Medical marijuana programs operate in more of a gray area where records are not as stringent, so they are not necessarily required to have seed-to-sale tracking software—it depends on the state. In states with both medical and recreational cannabis, seed-to-sale tracking is usually required for both medical and recreational cannabis.