BYRAM, Miss. (WLBT) – More than two years after Initiative 65 was enacted in Mississippi, a local group is pioneering efforts in cannabis cultivation and processing. The recent grand opening ceremony for River Remedy in Byram showcased a facility where medical marijuana is cultivated, processed, and dispensed all under one roof. This establishment is Mississippi’s only Seed to Sale Medical Marijuana facility.
Cannabis Cultivation Process
CEO William Chism outlines a comprehensive 10-step process that begins with a mother plant. Clones are cut and spend two weeks in a clone room, followed by four weeks in a vegetative growth room. Subsequently, plants are transferred to a flowering area, where they remain for eight to nine weeks, depending on the strain.
Once the plants have matured from clones to fully flowering specimens, they are tagged for identification. Harvesting occurs when the plants are at optimal growth, and they are then hung to dry until they reach a moisture level of 10%.
Quality Assurance and Testing
Chism explains, “These plants were harvested last week and will spend 10 to 15 days in drying. Following this, the stems are broken off, placed in totes, and the curing process begins. A lower and slower drying method elevates the quality of the product.”
After the drying and curing phases, the bucking process involves trimming and sorting the flowers into various categories, including A Flower, B Flower, Trim, and Stems. To comply with state regulations, extensive testing is conducted to ensure the products are free from heavy metals, micro-toxins, and pesticides. “Our team emphasizes meticulous care with nutrients, yielding clean test results,” Chism asserts.
Once testing is complete and conducted by a third party, the flowers can either be packaged for sale or processed further to extract THC for products like gummies and oils. Each product is traced back to its original growing tag, allowing state authorities to track its journey from seed to sale.
While the timeline from clone to consumer may be lengthy, this meticulous process represents a significant advancement for the cannabis industry in Mississippi, offering local opportunities for growth and compliance.
