U.S. cannabis regulatory technology systems company Metrc just entered into a new contract with Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians (Twenty-Nine Palms), a federally recognized Native American tribe located in Southern California. This represents the first track-and-trace contract with a Tribal government where Metrc will support the regulation of Twenty-Nine Palms’ cannabis market, the company states.
Over the years, Twenty-Nine Palms has established diversified economic development and business enterprises on its lands, which are managed by its Business Development Committee and overseen by its elected Tribal Council, according to Metrc. Through these efforts, the Tribe employs over 700 local citizens, invests in and contributes to the surrounding community, and supports the Tribe’s self-governance.
As a part of its focus on providing growth and prosperity opportunities for future generations, Twenty-Nine Palms has exercised its sovereign authority to implement a comprehensive regulatory framework providing for the licensing of commercial cannabis activities on Tribal lands. Integration with the Metrc system creates streamlined operational and compliance practices, creating a foundation for trade among tribal licensees across the industry’s supply chain, Metrc states.
Metrc Provides a Safe Cannabis Market
Metrc’s track-and-trace platform will provide transparency for Twenty-Nine Palms to ensure regulatory compliance, help combat the illicit market and safeguard the health and well-being of consumers, according to the company. To do this, Metrc will facilitate the data collection and regulatory insight for the Tribe’s cannabis market.
Metrc’s system can track all activities impacting the status of a plant or the creation of cannabis-based products, including:
- Origin
- Testing results
- Handling
- Chain-of-custody information
This can all be done through Metrc’s RFID tag model and software-as-a-service (SaaS) system, the company states, which regulators can then access.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Twenty-Nine Palms on this first-of-its-kind track-and-trace program,” said Michael Johnson, CEO at Metrc, in a news release. “Our team at Metrc looks forward to working alongside the Tribal Administration to bolster its cannabis marketplace in the region, expanding its operational capabilities, strengthening its regulatory framework and protecting the health and well-being of its consumers.”
Twenty-Nine Palms Tribal Chairman Darrell Mike added, “The partnership with Metrc is a major step forward in the Tribe’s efforts to develop a fully integrated cannabis economy on Tribal lands under a rigorous regulatory framework that both spurs economic development and ensures the production of high-quality cannabis products. Twenty-Nine Palms appreciates Metrc’s recognition of the Tribe’s sovereignty, and the implementation of its first-class track-and-trace platform on Tribal lands will help the Tribe realize its economic and regulatory goals.”