Getting Started with METRC in Maine
METRC Touches Down in Maine
In February 2020, Franwell announced a new contract with the state of Maine to provide its cannabis compliance reporting software, METRC.
If you’ve been preparing your cannabis business in the state, you’ll now need to know how to use the program and why maintaining its data is important to your business.
Maine’s legal cannabis industry uses the software to track and trace all legal cannabis product that is grown, sold, shipped, and processed within the state.
Keep reading for the ins-and-outs of METRC, Maine’s regulatory division, and tips for providing perfect data to the state.
Meet The Regulators: The Office of Marijuana Policy
The Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) is the state agency that oversees METRC. All business data input via the software goes to this bureau.
If you want to work with legal cannabis in Maine, you’ll have to get licensed by this office. Part of keeping your license also involves METRC.
This bureau offers all relevant information to setting up the software in Maine, using it to report, and new technical releases such as approved integrations.
Without question, the OMP is the go-to-agency for learning as much as you can about METRC in Maine.
In addition to overseeing track-and-trace protocol, the Office of Marijuana Policy uses METRC to ensure legal cannabis is tested properly.
The OMP standardizes testing levels through configuring the software to the legal ratios of THC and CBD.
Do not assume that because you used thid programCin another state that you can use it in Maine and get it all right the first time.
Maine’s regulators use METRC to maintain top-down oversight of legal cannabis. Be diligent, friendly, and, most importantly, get in touch with the office.
How To Get METRC-Certified in Maine
The OMP requires every facility to have a track-and-trace administrator that oversees data reporting. The manager must take a course offered through the state on METRC.
If your track-and-trace administrator wants to sign up for the mandatory OMP METRC course, they have to provide the following information:
Establishment license number
- Business Name
- IIC Number
- First Name
- Last Name
- Phone Number
Maine’s OMP will offer future training classes based on your business’ license type. Stay tuned for more information!
The program will help companies use METRC properly, and the program should be offered to every employee within a cannabis business.
When everyone in your business is certified to use this platform, it becomes be much easier to control reporting errors– an important piece to remaining compliant in Maine.
You must take this process seriously because you could lose your license if for not using the program properly.
The Cost of Training
METRC training is included in the $40 per month payment made to the company.
The service is complimentary to your subscription and includes ongoing developments in the training documentations.
Remember, all your employees can access the portal for these resources.
This is invaluable to the success of your business, especially for members who will be handling METRC in any capacity on the job.
Setting Up METRC For The First Time
When you are ready to set up the software, you can go through the state to log in and get access to the program.
Your track-and-trace administrator must also email METRC support to receive access to your business’ account.
Before emailing software support, they must complete the training course, pass the final exam, and receive written approval from the OMP – then they can log on! (almost…)
Make sure to send the email the in following format to get the credentials:
Subject Line: "Requesting ME Credentials”
Body:
- Your full name
- IIC Number
- Business License Number
- Business Name and DBA
- Phone Number
- Main or Business Email Address
- Confirmation from OMP on their permission for you to receive credentials
Keep reading for an overview of Maine’s official METRC setup guide.
After logging in the first time, you will be prompted to create a User Profile. This is to make relevant information and permissions legible within the software.
Then you’ll add Employee Permissions for other members of your staff that need to use the software.
Remember that you must enter every employees’ IIC number or else they cannot be added.
You’ll also designate which roles and facilities should be attributed to every employee.
Then, it’s time for one of the most important parts of the process: ordering RFID tags. These are classified as Package and Plant Tags.
In order to enter inventory on the platform, you must have these tags on hand. A tag must accompany an item that is being entered into the platform.
This is how regulators will track your products!
Once your tags arrive doorstep, you’ll continue to enter Location, Strain and Item Information.
Then you should be set to go!
Follow this manual for more in-depth information on Maine’s METRC setup process.
