We are proud to be in our 20th year in cannabis certifications. The Clean Green Certified Program was started in 2004 when we were first contacted by the emerging legal medical and adult use cannabis industries. I was working in the USDA National Organic Program when it started in 2003, after a long career in agriculture and marine biology. At was from our work in the USDA organic industry that the cannabis industry reached out to see if we could certify their cannabis as organic as well. California said yes, the federal government said no, so we started the Clean Green Certified Program which has long been “the closest you can get to organic in the cannabis industry‘! The first year we only certified 2 or 3 farms and about 160 lbs of trimmed flower. Small organic farms in the remote hills of California. A few brave farmers who wanted a qualified third party certification program to be able to show to the consumer and world that they were taking the steps needed to provide a clean, synthetic pesticide free cannabis. Quickly the farmers started winning top awards and cups. The San Francisco High Times Cup (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021). The world famous Emerald Cup, the San Francisco Patient’s Cup. From there as the program grew to other states the awards kept coming in… Best of S. Oregon, Colorado’s Finest, Dope Magazine’s Judges Choice, on and on and on. The result has been that the Clean Green Certified Program is the most award winning, most qualified cannabis program in the world, now in over 9 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Many of our farmer members have been with us since the beginning, built for farmers, by farmers. It has always been their program, we just have had the honor to work with them and to certify their organic growing methods and standards. It has been a true 20 year odyssey, of which we are very proud to have played a part. Featured on National Geographic TV, the Discovery Channel, so many top national and international magazines and newspapers. All with the purpose to direct the consumer to healthier, more sustainable cannabis and cannabis products. And equally as important is their commitment to reducing their farm’s carbon footprint on the earth – a win for everyone.
Sincerely,
Chris Van Hook, Director
The Clean Green Certified Program…. since 2004