Published on 12/04/2023
Last month, we kicked off a series of articles about the Cultivation for Compounds (CfC) consortium. The CfC is a four-year research project and representation program committed to cannabis cultivation. This article is the second of this series. This time we interviewed Jeroen Sanders, Researcher and Project Manager at Vertify.
Having worked at Vertify for 16 years, Jeroen shared the company’s background and activities. Jaroen explains, “We are a practical research institute and we have 4 locations in the Netherlands. At 3 of these locations, we have a modern greenhouse facility. We conduct various agricultural trials on different subjects with various crops. It can be about fertilisation, crop control, new cultivation techniques, climate, and more.”
About 3 years ago, Vertify decided for the first time that they wanted to research cannabis. “It is not easy to get a permit and start to work with this plant. We acquired the permit with Cultivators’ support, but it took two years to obtain the license from the government. We had to do a lot for it to happen, including renovating our facility.”
Jeroen shared that a renovation was necessary to ensure compliance with all regulations surrounding cannabis cultivation in the Netherlands. One of the key changes involved improving security. Vertify needed to ensure that the cannabis cultivation area was closed off from the rest of the facility. They also installed additional cameras, alarms, and other security measures. “I think we have a nice facility. We are considering expanding the licensed area we have for cannabis with perhaps two or three extra compartments.”
Jeroen explained that the increasing global legalization of both medicinal and recreational cannabis, combined with the Dutch history in cannabis, made this the right time to launch a project like CfC. “Together with World Horti Centre and Cultivators, we took the initiative for this project. Worldwide, the Dutch horticulture sector is a market leader in many crops and technologies, with numerous Dutch suppliers also present in the global cannabis industry. Yet, with CfC, we have the opportunity to demonstrate to the world that we are world leaders in that industry, on a high professional level.”
“And it is not only that”, Jeroen continued, “as Vertify we have many years of experience working with a wide range of crops, and we can easily include cannabis. But the best part of the CfC is that we have companies that are leaders in the industry partnering for this important research. Having a consortium that involves all these professionals allows us to create a discussion between people who are the best in what they are doing, and this is a great formula to gain further knowledge.”
Some might wonder how a group of unrelated companies with different agendas manage to agree on the same actions or decisions.“It is important to keep in mind that this is official research. The first step is to ensure that the trials are conducted properly to produce reliable results. Each company has its own goals for these practical trials. Although there are sometimes discussions, I find them normal because we are all professionals with different experiences and opinions, such as crop handling or climate settings. The key is to integrate all these opinions effectively. Cultivators hold weekly meetings with participants from all involved parties. They update everyone on our progress here at Vertify. These meetings are pivotal moments for raising questions and engaging in proper discussions. We work toward an approach that meets everyone’s needs.”
Jeroen mentioned that it is the first time Vertify is collaborating with Cultivators, and immediately on such a big-scale project. “Some people could even find it so surprising that a consortium of this size is going so well. The communication with Cultivators happens naturally, as they are easy to approach and look at problems from a grower’s perspective. We have a professional relationship based on experience, support, and respect, which I believe is important for this consortium”.
Is it as easy and good as it sounds? We asked Jeroen about some struggles they might have faced until now. “After getting a license, which we worked for 2 years to receive. Finally we were able to start the first trial. Nevertheless, we stopped it earlier than expected. I would refer to it as a learning run because we experienced difficulties with our screens and irrigation system, and later, with the dehumidification system. It took us some time to get the facility, technology, and plants under control. From there, we could only go up, and this is exactly what we have been doing since. Now we have started the 4th cultivation cycle, and there are many more to come.”
Looking into the near future, Jeroen shared his feelings about cannabis in the Netherlands; “As for Cultivation for Compounds, I still see a lot of issues and challenges that are worth looking into and researching them. Aspects like plant morphology, different cannabis varieties, etc. Outside of the CfC, I believe that for the coming 5 years, there should be a lot of different trials done involving cannabis in the Netherlands.”
* Cultivation for Compounds is partly funded by the PPS surcharge for research and innovation from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.