Are you a hemp farmer and have been wondering about the best methods of increasing the quality of your hemp? The answer is testing your soil and product to determine their components using accredited third-party laboratories. Here is a demonstration of why using these laboratories is the secret to high production of quality hemp.
What is a Third Party Laboratory?
As the name suggests, third-party labs are independent organizations for testing the content of samples that clients send to them. Since they are independent, it implies they are not affiliated in any way to any party in the hemp production chain. Therefore, they give unbiased and correct test results of farmers hemp and soil samples. Keep reading to see how the labs can help increase your farm’s productivity.
Testing the Soil for Fertility
The first step in producing high-quality hemp is ensuring you have all the nutrients in the soil. Using a third-party laboratory, hemp farmers can test the quality of their soil to know the deficiencies so that they can use the right fertilizers. For example, does the soil have ample nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, among other nutrients?
To have your soil tested for nutrients, you should start by taking a sample from the field. Then, send it to your selected laboratory so that all the parameters that you need tested are checked. Remember to secure the samples in air and water-tight bags to prevent loss of moisture, change in pH or contamination.
Checking Your Soil for Heavy Metals
In addition to testing your soil for nutrients, the laboratory will also check the presence of heavy metals. If the soil contains a lot of heavy metals, they are likely to find their way into the hemp tissues, and finally, to the product made from the crop. The result will be a possible ban on hemp products made from such crops by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Although heavy metals occur naturally in the soil, they can also be introduced through agrochemicals, insecticides, and pollution in the environment. If the tests establish that the soil has high levels of heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, you can adopt the right management practice to reduce them. For example, you might consider going for alternative production methods, such as indoor farming to produce hemp that is free from heavy metals.
Testing Your Hemp before Sale
To be sure that your hemp is of high-quality, it is also important to test it before sending for further processing. So, pick a sample of the hemp plants and send it to the selected laboratory for quality testing. Here are some of the tests that are done on your hemp:
- Potency test.
- Bio-contaminants.
- Pesticides.
- Heavy metals.
To be successful as a hemp farmer, it is paramount to think about the entire production process, starting from soil management to releasing your product into the market. To get it right and enjoy high-quality production, you should make sure to work with a good third party laboratory that can test the soil, advise you on good soil practices, and finally test the hemp from your farm.
