Metrc Basics & Resources for New Jersey Cannabis Companies

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A foundational aspect of any New Jersey cannabis business is inventory tracking—starting with every plant seedling and clone to their final iteration as dried flower, extracts or infused products. Everything happens through the state government-mandated software system Metrc (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance). 

As a trusted provider of cannabis testing services for businesses in our home state as well as federally regulated hemp in the Northeast and beyond, Trichome Analytical is here to support new and established operators with updated information and resources to understand the testing requirements for their products and develop efficient standard operating procedures.

Here’s a closer look at NJ Metrc for licensed cannabis businesses: 

Metrc Mandates for Current and Future New Jersey Cannabis License Holders

The web-based Metrc platform follows cannabis throughout its journey along the supply chain, from cultivation to post-harvest processing, product manufacturing, distribution and sale to the end consumer, along with documentation of required product testing. 

This data-driven inventory management system is designed to ensure a safe and equitable market for both the industry and the consumer. It is currently used in more than 20 states and U.S. territories. In New Jersey, Metrc was chosen as the state’s track and trace software when Resolution 2022-2 was adopted by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission on January 7, 2022. Metrc was mandated for use by all licensed businesses beginning in 2023.

To get started with compliant business operations, here’s an overview of what needs to be done: You’ll first set up a New Jersey Metrc account. When you receive your annual license, you’ll need to complete the required Metrc application and training program using your name, license number and email address. Once the account is established and you have log-in credentials, you can sign up for “Metrc Learn” and so your team can access additional state-specific training videos.

To set up your organization in Metrc, each location, cultivar (strain) / product item, in-house employees and transporters need to be added to the system. Similarly, individual plants must be tagged using Metrc’s “plant tags” (after harvest, all batches and derivative products must have Metrc “package tags”). All tags are ordered and purchased through your Metrc account. All laboratory testing results for official harvests and production batches must be reported through the system. Prospective license holders should keep these requirements in mind and adapt their SOPs around them. 

Metrc Training: A Breakdown

As with any tracking software, there are several aspects of Metrc that license holders must understand in order to remain in compliance. Here are some useful Metrc training resources:

• How to Get Help
  • Full access to the Metrc support network
• How to Navigate in Metrc and Find Support Resources
  • User guides and state-specific supplemental guides 

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CULTIVATION / MANUFACTURING

• Creating a production batch
  • Any time an item is physically or chemically altered
  • Related: Creating an immature plant batch
• Creating a test sample
  • A testing facility representative takes a sample from inventory
• Harvesting plants
  • Everything regarding removing plants or parts of plants from a cultivation facility
• Remediation
  • The process for addressing products that failed testing

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DISTRIBUTION

• Creating a transfer manifest
  • Inventory transfers to other licenses
• Receive and reject a transfer manifest
  • Includes info about partial transfers and confirming weights of product
• Completing a sales delivery
  • Taking active inventory off the licensed premises for delivery
• Repackaging
  • Turning a production batch into separately packaged products

New Jersey Metrc Pricing 

Pricing for a Metrc subscription in New Jersey is $40 per month. Inventory-management tags cost $0.25 apiece for a package tag and $0.45 for a plant tag. All of the tags must be ordered through Metrc. 

While these expenses and the added compliance aspects of Metrc may seem burdensome, policymakers deemed them essential for the New Jersey cannabis market to be regulated properly and ensure the safety of cannabis consumers.  

If you have a cannabis license in New Jersey and have any questions concerning Metrc and testing across the supply chain, please reach out to Trichome Analytical for advice or support.