What started as growers gathering at the Big Sexy Brewery in Sacramento, California to talk shop and share knowledge grew into a collaboration among cultivation experts who went on to launch PowrHouse, an R&D cultivation facility designed to test the commercial viability of new genetics and nutrient lines.
 

PowrHouse is highly data-driven, tracking every R&D project and sharing insights with cultivators, such as which cultivars perform best in specific conditions and with specific nutrient inputs.
 

Our guest is co-founder Sergio Picazo. He walks us through their operations, partnerships, approach to data collection, and the importance of having a tissue culture program.

https://www.powr.house

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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It's not uncommon for industries outside of cannabis to adapt their technology to solve challenges unique to our space. American Air Filter International is one of those companies, bringing decades of expertise in air filtration for environments with high levels of gaseous contaminants, including wastewater treatment facilities, data centers, and, now, cannabis cultivation.

Our guest today is Nikki Sasher, a microbiologist and head of the Clean Air Lab at American Air Filter International. She's here to break down why air filtration matters in cannabis, and how growers can reduce airborne pathogen risk.

According to Nikki, the cannabis industry faces mold problems, among others, and once mold enters a cultivation facility, financial losses can be significant, not to mention the serious biosecurity and worker health risks. AFF addresses these challenges with advanced molecular and carbon-based filtration designed to scrub both incoming and outgoing air.

Nikki also explains the hidden dangers of airborne contaminants and how data-driven filtration strategies can help mitigate risk. AFF has partnered with Dr. Alison Justice of the Cannabis Research Center to analyze dirty filters from cultivation facilities to collect industry data.

As part of this research initiative, cultivators are invited to send in used filters to help build a clearer picture of air quality challenges across the industry.
 

REACH OUT TO NIKKI IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIRTY AIR FILTER PROGRAM: [email protected]

America Air Filter International.

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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The cannabis industry is still operating with a patchwork financial system—full of workarounds and uncertainty.

My guest today is Terry Mendez, CEO of Safe Harbor Financial, the first financial services company built specifically to support and advocate for safe banking in the cannabis industry.

We discuss how Safe Harbor has evolved over the years, where today’s banking and financial infrastructure still falls short, and how they’re working to fill those gaps. Terry also breaks down what cannabis rescheduling could mean for banking and how Safe Harbor supports small and emerging cannabis businesses as they navigate a very complex system.

I really enjoyed this conversation with Terry and learning how they are building a more stable financial infrastructure to help cannabis businesses thrive and grow.

https://shfinancial.org/

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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Joann and Michael Kudrewicz have been cultivating cannabis in the Catskills of New York for over 20 years. Early participants in the state's hemp program supplied seeds and clones to farmers across the region.

They went on to launch Raven's View Genetics, which focuses on preserving and producing Landrace and heirloom cannabis strains for their proprietary collection.

In this episode, we discuss their journey through New York's evolving cannabis landscape and dive deep into their genetics work, exploring how they pay homage to the regions around the world and the growers who shaped the evolution of these historic Landrace strains.

https://ravensviewgenetics.com

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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John Keating leads the genetics program at Advanced Nutrients, a company long recognized for its cutting-edge research in plant nutrients and genetics. Keating is also the founder of Tesaro Genetics, which was acquired by Advanced Nutrients several years ago to expand the company's research efforts beyond nutrients and deeper into plant science.

Keating and his team have been working with triploid genetics and recently launched a triploid seed line at MJBizCon. While triploids are widely used in large-scale agriculture, the approach is still new to the cannabis industry—and far from easy to execute. According to Keating, the team spent several years refining the process before getting it right.

Advanced Nutrients can now convert a seed producer's existing genetics into triploids, creating the next generation of cultivars that deliver higher yields, increased vigor, and larger plants overall.

In our conversation, we explore tissue culture, gene editing, triploids, tetraploids, and the future of cannabis genetics. Keating believes cultivation will look dramatically different in the years ahead, as new discoveries and advanced tools reshape how cannabis is bred, grown, and scaled.

Advanced Nutrients: https://www.advancednutrients.com

Tesoro Genetics: https://www.tesorogenetics.com

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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Today, our guest is Jason Adelstone, an attorney with Harris Sliwoski. He joins the podcast to break down the legal chaos affecting the cannabis and hemp industries. We dive into a new potential hemp loophole, the latest on 280E, Thailand's reversal of its cannabis laws, the pros and cons of pursuing a DEA license for future international trade, and the rise in product recalls—along with who ultimately bears the liability.

https://harris-sliwoski.com/

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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How many cannabis companies do you know that have been around for 26 years—and are still thriving?

Today, we meet BigMike, founder and CEO of Advanced Nutrients. His story begins in California, where, in his twenties, he started cultivating cannabis. At the time, the big fertilizer companies were too afraid to develop products specifically for the cannabis industry—but BigMike knew that what worked for tomatoes and cucumbers didn't work for cannabis.

Determined, he assembled a team of top plant scientists to develop the world's most advanced cannabis nutrients—an approach that remains the backbone of the company's success today.

Now sold in over 120 countries, Advanced Nutrients continues to expand globally, making major inroads in Europe and beyond as legalization spreads.

In this episode, BigMike shares insights into their groundbreaking polyploid genetics, emerging global opportunities, and what's next for the cannabis industry.

https://www.advancednutrients.com

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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As the cannabis industry evolves, so does the technology shaping its future. Innovations from outside sectors are being adapted and refined to meet the unique challenges of cannabis production.

One of the newest breakthroughs is X-ray technology for microbial remediation. Unlike chemical or fog-based methods—which interact with terpene and cannabinoid compounds, potentially degrading flavor and aroma—X-ray penetrates the whole flower while leaving cannabinoids and terpenes untouched.

Today, we’re joined by Jeff Adams, founder of XRPure, and Joseph Bancheri, the company’s head of business development. They’ll walk us through how XRPure’s X-ray remediation technology works—and why it could represent the next generation of clean, high-quality cannabis.

https://xrpure.com

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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Rama Mayo is the co-founder of Hall of Flowers, one of the most influential B2B trade shows in the cannabis industry, bringing brands and retailers together in California for the past eight years. The show recently made its New York debut, and Rama joins us to share how the East Coast industry received it.

We also dive into the cultural and brand differences between the West and East Coasts — and explore how both markets can collaborate to support each other’s growth.

With more than two decades immersed in California’s cannabis scene — and a background in music and fashion before that — Rama offers insight into his vision for Hall of Flowers and the future of the cannabis industry.

https://www.hallofflowers.com/

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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Jason Ambrosino, the founder of Veterans Holdings, a leading B2B cannabis manufacturer and supply partner, producing bulk distillate, rosin, crude oil, BHO, infused pre-rolls, and finished goods for licensed dispensaries, brands, and distributors across New York. Jason is also a member of the Association of New York Cannabis Processors and mentors and advises numerous operators on business strategy and operations. 

He is very vocal in informing the Office of Cannabis Management and elected officials on the economics of cannabis and his challenges as a business owner. Jason is not shy about sharing his insights and opinions on how the NY cannabis market is unfolding. Today, we will discuss the challenges business owners are facing trying to survive the tumultuous market rollout. 

https://www.veteranschoicecreations.com/

Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at [email protected].

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