Situation
This indoor Nevada cultivator engaged with the Willow Industries team after observing continuously elevated rates of compliance failures. Despite implementing additional cleaning and maintenance SOP’s, this cultivator was disappointed to see that they continued to experience large-scale failures for total yeast and mold as well as for Aspergillus.
Solution
The cultivation team signed their WillowPure lease, focusing on a long-term solution to a potentially long-term problem.
The Willow science team conducted an on-site microbial assessment, swabbing all contact surfaces, collecting physical raw material samples, and performing air quality tests throughout each room within the cultivation facility.
Results garnered from the microbial examination indicated the presence of Aspergillus, as well as numerous varieties of yeast and mold, throughout the air of this facility. The Willow Science team made recommendations for added air filtration as well as repeatable cleaning SOP’s to counteract the effect of poor air quality on surfaces used throughout the cultivation process.
The company took Willow’s Science-based recommendations to heart. Within a month of receiving their full microbial assessment report they had replaced all dehumidifiers across the facility, implemented best practices in terms of maintenance to ensure those replaced units remained in tip-top condition, and introduced a variety of air ionizers throughout cultivation and post-harvest spaces. Their adoption of these best practices was validated by hiring a third-party testing lab to return to their facility and perform similar environmental tests to those initially conducted by Willow.
Outcome
The company’s third-party tests confirmed that the air quality had been improved significantly following the adoption of Willow’s tailored recommendations. In conjunction with their WillowPure360 and significantly improved upstream practices, the company began to see a striking shift in their compliance rate.
With more flower going to market and with the peace of mind afforded by Willow’s data-driven approach, this company was thrilled to renew with Willow at the end of their preliminary lease term. Approximately one year from the initial Willow microbial assessment and site visit, a follow-up examination was performed by the same members of the Willow Science team.
Samples were taken from each of the same areas initially surveyed and the results were phenomenal. The company had managed to adhere to the best practice SOP’s established following their initial microbial examination and third-party testing that the follow-up examination showed nearly zero microbial growth throughout the facility. With another lease term underway, this company continues to focus on long-term strategies to ensure compliant, safe product for the public at large.