Hydrolife Canada February/March 2017

grow
By Michael Caffrey | The importance
of physically securing your facility
is established knowledge among
growers, but failing to secure your
high-grade crop against an infestation
of pests or contaminants can be
financially devastating as well. Surna’s
Michael Caffrey looks at biosecurity
and how to take preventative
measures against these issues.
The biological security of a
cultivation facility is just as
important as the physical security.
The physical security includes
measures such as locks, cameras,
fences, and lighting, and is often,
at least in part, required by law.
Biosecurity includes measures such as
air sanitation, dehumidification, and
cleaning procedures, and is often not
directly required, though it can become
an indirect requirement due to product
testing and purity requirements.
While less familiar than physical
security, biosecurity is no less
important, especially when growing
for a medical market. Creating and
maintaining a clean cultivation
Lock Up the
BIOSECURITY
of your
GROW OP
“Prevention is easier
and cheaper than
dealing with a
contamination.”
environment results in reduced
pesticide and fungicide needs, a
reduced risk of crop failure due to
contamination, and increased chances
of passing any required lab tests.
Implementing an effective biosecurity
system within in a cultivation facility
comes down to being thorough and
regularly assessing the effectiveness
of both the procedures and equipment
used in the quest for a biologically
secure facility.
Routine assessments should be performed
often—at least once a week but
daily if possible—to catch any problems
before they become critical.
Routine checks also ensure the measures
in place are working to prevent
contamination within the facility.
Prevention is easier and cheaper than
dealing with a contamination. A bleach
wipe-down of all surfaces costs less
than six cents per wipe, whereas a crop
failure or recall can cost tens of thousands
of dollars and potentially create
irreparable damage to your brand.
Once a contaminant such as powdery
mildew gets into a facility, it can be
nearly impossible to remove.
Once biosecurity standard operating
procedures have been established in a
facility, routine checks both ensure they
are working and are actually being followed.
A large part of biosecurity comes
down to relying on employees to follow
proper procedure, and routine checks
ensure they will do so.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
During your routine biosecurity checks,
it is important to know what to look for.
Here are the top things that are typically
seen, but be sure to incorporate
your own factors into this list:
Are employees following standard
operating procedures?
Are equipment and tools being
cleaned before use on a new plant?
Is humidity at the correct levels?
Are there any spikes throughout
the day?
Is water draining properly? Are
there any standing pools of water?
Are there any visible signs of pests
or pathogens?
Is the air quality at proper levels?
Routine checks will help establish a
baseline for biosecurity and allow holes
in the current system to be revealed
before a bigger problem occurs. If at
any point your biosecurity is found to
be lacking, call an expert to perform an
analysis and help create a safer environment
for your plants.
Michael Caffrey serves as a biological engineer for Surna Inc., whose mission is to provide efficient, reliable, and intelligent climate
control solutions designed exclusively for cannabis cultivation. With a degree in molecular cell and development biology from University of
Colorado, Michael understands what makes plants tick. His past research experience includes studying microbiology and plant genetics.
28
grow. heal. live. enjoy.
myhydrolife.ca