In modern cannabis cultivation, especially in Canada, consistency, quality, and compliance are the name of the game. Yet, cultivators often walk a tightrope in meeting strict regulatory standards while scaling operations in both local and international markets.
Products grown with uncertified inputs risk failing export tests due to contaminants or banned substances, resulting in customs rejections, costly delays, and licensing issues.
Here, Athena Ag (Athena) makes a meaningful entrance, helping growers strike the balance between compliance and quality.
By manufacturing nutrients and inputs under a QMS certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards, the company ensures safety, consistency, and compliance from day one. Athena challenges the status quo through its clean formulations and manufacturing standards. As a result, cultivators achieve higher pass rates for microbial and chemical testing, de-risk batches, and maintain the permits needed to stay inspection-ready at all times. In turn, brands gain long-term credibility in export markets.
“Our goal is to help cultivators grow healthier plants, reduce risks and pass critical testing, all while improving overall operations,” says Taylor Rauls, director of marketing. “This enables them to stay compliant in both domestic and export markets.”
Athena provides everything from nutrient documentation, a record of inputs through to finished products, minimizing contaminants and offering full traceability. On the operational side, the company delivers less variability, fewer corrective actions, and more consistent EC and pH control, along with cleaner SOP alignment.
The outcome? Fewer costly compliance errors, better margins and a certification pedigree that builds buyer and investor trust.
But more importantly, Athena plays a hands-on role in helping cultivators meet current regulations and hold valid certifications. Every federal license holder must comply with part 5 of the Good Production Practices (GPP), which covers sanitization, record keeping, testing, and QA oversight. To ensure readiness, the company integrates all required documentation directly into the cultivator’s quality manual for the next Health Canada or EU GMP audit.
That support is further reinforced by a facility advisor program, staffed by seasoned experts familiar with each cultivator’s market. For example, one of its advisors previously managed nearly a million square feet of canopy at Canada’s largest cannabis producer, bringing together deep operational insight and audit experience.
Today, he conducts customized, on-site facility audits, offering solutions beyond recommending nutrients or applying ISO-backed QMS. His guidance includes best practices for production workflows, SOP optimization, and regulatory preparedness.
Backed by this expertise, the program also provides regular follow-up check-ins to ensure cleaner runs, fewer deviations and higher pass rates on finished products. Ultimately, the goal is to drive consistent, scalable success across the cannabis industry.
From nutrients to documentation, Athena weaves compliance at every layer of cultivation, setting the gold standard in cannabis regulations. It empowers growers to operate seamlessly, protect their licenses and compete in global markets with credibility and consistency.
Interested in a free facility audit or want to learn more? Contact Mike Pflug, an Athena facility advisor with over a decade of cultivation experience which included being the Head Cultivator at one of Canada's largest licensed producers, where he oversaw over a million sqft of canopy. m.pflug@athenaag.com or call 844-333-1818 x 1079.
Products grown with uncertified inputs risk failing export tests due to contaminants or banned substances, resulting in customs rejections, costly delays, and licensing issues.
Here, Athena Ag (Athena) makes a meaningful entrance, helping growers strike the balance between compliance and quality.
By manufacturing nutrients and inputs under a QMS certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards, the company ensures safety, consistency, and compliance from day one. Athena challenges the status quo through its clean formulations and manufacturing standards. As a result, cultivators achieve higher pass rates for microbial and chemical testing, de-risk batches, and maintain the permits needed to stay inspection-ready at all times. In turn, brands gain long-term credibility in export markets.
“Our goal is to help cultivators grow healthier plants, reduce risks and pass critical testing, all while improving overall operations,” says Taylor Rauls, director of marketing. “This enables them to stay compliant in both domestic and export markets.”
Athena provides everything from nutrient documentation, a record of inputs through to finished products, minimizing contaminants and offering full traceability. On the operational side, the company delivers less variability, fewer corrective actions, and more consistent EC and pH control, along with cleaner SOP alignment.
The outcome? Fewer costly compliance errors, better margins and a certification pedigree that builds buyer and investor trust.
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Our goal is to help cultivators grow healthier plants, reduce risks and pass critical testing, all while improving overall operations. This enables them to stay compliant in both domestic and export markets.
But more importantly, Athena plays a hands-on role in helping cultivators meet current regulations and hold valid certifications. Every federal license holder must comply with part 5 of the Good Production Practices (GPP), which covers sanitization, record keeping, testing, and QA oversight. To ensure readiness, the company integrates all required documentation directly into the cultivator’s quality manual for the next Health Canada or EU GMP audit.
That support is further reinforced by a facility advisor program, staffed by seasoned experts familiar with each cultivator’s market. For example, one of its advisors previously managed nearly a million square feet of canopy at Canada’s largest cannabis producer, bringing together deep operational insight and audit experience.
Today, he conducts customized, on-site facility audits, offering solutions beyond recommending nutrients or applying ISO-backed QMS. His guidance includes best practices for production workflows, SOP optimization, and regulatory preparedness.
Backed by this expertise, the program also provides regular follow-up check-ins to ensure cleaner runs, fewer deviations and higher pass rates on finished products. Ultimately, the goal is to drive consistent, scalable success across the cannabis industry.
From nutrients to documentation, Athena weaves compliance at every layer of cultivation, setting the gold standard in cannabis regulations. It empowers growers to operate seamlessly, protect their licenses and compete in global markets with credibility and consistency.
Interested in a free facility audit or want to learn more? Contact Mike Pflug, an Athena facility advisor with over a decade of cultivation experience which included being the Head Cultivator at one of Canada's largest licensed producers, where he oversaw over a million sqft of canopy. m.pflug@athenaag.com or call 844-333-1818 x 1079.
