By RQS Editorial Team


Together with fossil fuels, agriculture and industrial farming are the greatest cause of climate change. The impact of agriculture on the environment will be a hot topic for years, and since cannabis processing is growing fast and going global, this industry must take its share of the responsibility.

How The Cannabis Industry Impacts The Environment

Researchers analised the impact of large-scale cannabis growing in northern California, finding soils and ecosystems in the region to be seriously damaged by extensive cultivation. Cannabis farming requires a generous amount of water, which can contribute to droughts, while its waste water pouring into soil and rivers is often polluted with some sort of residual chemicals.

Moreover, the volatile compounds that produce cannabis’ aroma can dangerously increase ozone levels surrounding a big plantation. Finally, the carbon footprint from grow room and greenhouse energy usage is a relevant issue too.

Even if it was possible, splitting large cultivations into thousands of home businesses would not solve the problem. What every grower, big or small, should aim for is a localised and customised practice of sustainable agriculture. And further ahead, regenerative agriculture.

What Is Regenerative Agriculture?

Improving biodiversity is at the centre of regenerative agriculture. Local variations on regenerative agricultural practices have been around for centuries. Retrieving and evolving these practices means planning “closed-loop” operations that are able to restore the natural features of air, water, soil, and their ecosystems, plus providing decent yields with each harvest.

Regenerative agriculture goes a step further than sustainable agriculture with its healing effect on the environment, which could also improve crop quality. Easier said than done, of course.

Nevertheless, just to make an example, industrial hemp is, by nature, able to sequester toxic substances from polluted soils and regenerate them into arable land over time. Hemp’s large canopy also prevents the growth of bad weeds, and its stems have hundreds of eco-friendly applications.

Regardless of the crop, regenerative agriculture might mitigate farming impact on the environment. However, whether it’s because it might be economically inefficient or for other reasons, regenerative practices aren't so popular even among organic farmers.

What Is Regenerative Agriculture?

Dry Farming: An Example of Regenerative Agriculture in Action

Dry farming is a technique of raising crops throughout the dry season. This is achieved by using moisture stored in the soil from the previous rainy season.

Dryland farming is not a new fad. It has been used for centuries in parched regions such as parts of Africa, Arabic countries, territories of the Mediterranean, and most recently, in Southern California. It is not a method for "maximising" output, so it largely fell out of favour until the recent focus on regenerative and sustainable agriculture.

The first benefit of dry farming is the capacity to grow crops in dry regions without any additional water. Water and its supply are becoming increasingly precious, and dry farming certainly ticks all the sustainability boxes.

In this practice, the top layers of soil remain dry enough that few weeds grow, which means herbicides are not needed and there is little need for weeding. No additional irrigation, fertiliser, or energy is required, meaning that production costs are low and sustainable.

  • What Crops Can Be Dry Farmed?

Dryland grain crops include wheat, corn, millet, and rye, and dryland fruit and veg crops include grapes, tomatoes, pumpkins, and beans. Dry farming has long been used in the Mediterranean. It is still illegal to irrigate wine grapes during the growing season in wine-producing regions of Spain, Greece, France, and Italy, as it is believed that water will dilute the grape quality. Many of the best wines and olive oils are created from dry-farmed produce.

Today, dry farming is also being used to grow cannabis in certain circumstances. As it’s already quite a hardy specimen, it makes a good candidate for the process.

  • Dry Farming Techniques

Dry farmers select a site with deep soil and good water-holding characteristics, and then use a range of techniques, including:

  • Adding lots of aged organic matter twice-yearly, and double digging the soil to loosen and aerate it in autumn.
  • Tending to the soil lightly after every rain to prevent crusting.
  • Weeding and mulching around plants. This retains moisture, deters weeds, and keeps roots cool.
  • Capturing rainfall for extra water supplies.
  • "Dust mulching" the soil by hoeing the top 5cm or so to stop moisture from evaporating. This is done after rain or watering.
  • Following harvest, leaving the crop remains (stubble mulch) in situ. Stubble mulch stops the soil from drying due to sun and wind. Alternatively, some use green manure.
  • "Clean fallow" is a method of storing rainwater. No crop is planted for a year; just stubble mulch or green manure is left. If done on alternate years, farmers can retain up to 70% of rainfall.
Dry Farming: An Example of Regenerative Agriculture in Action

Dry Weed Farming — What Does the Future Hold?

Dry farming cannabis is a practice that is growing in popularity. Still, its success is, of course, down to geology and geography. Some outdoor growers in California's Humboldt County, or "Emerald Triangle", have had success dry farming on their sites located along the Eel River.

One bonus of dry farming cannabis is the lack of excess water in the bud, meaning it dries and cures well. Less dilution of the plant represents a more authentic taste of the genetics. One downside of dry farming cannabis is potentially smaller yields, as with all dry-farmed products. However, we would take quality and sustainability over quantity any day.

What Are The Benefits Of Regenerative Agriculture For Cannabis Growers And Consumers?

Growing cannabis in an environmentally sustainable way is not easy, particularly in high-yield commercial systems. Moreover, a large part of today’s cannabis is grown indoors, whether for efficiency or legal requirements.

Is it possible for cannabis farmers to modify their growing processes in order to protect local soil, water, and ecosystems? Does it make sense for the home grower to change proven habits to follow a few environmentally friendly gardening practices?

Converting a regular cannabis grow into a regenerative one takes some effort. Setting up a brand-new regenerative operation takes even more effort. However, regenerative agriculture brings some advantages that might be properly monetised. Here are the main benefits for consumers of regenerative agriculture cannabis derivatives:

  • Enhanced flavour of products
  • Higher amount of beneficial compounds
  • No chemical residues
  • New strains and locally adapted genetic lines

These are the potential benefits of regenerative agriculture for growers, citizens, and everybody else:

  • Helps restore ecosystems and natural soil balance
  • Naturally prevents or reduces pests
  • Reduces water consumption
  • Reduces power consumption
  • Eliminates chemical fertilisers and pesticides
How To Start A Regenerative Cannabis Garden

How To Start A Regenerative Cannabis Garden

Both the commercial grower and the home grower would do well to stop using fertilisers and wasteful watering practices. No one is innocent, we know that! But then again, we can minimise our garden’s impact on the Earth by adopting some of the following regenerative techniques:

  • Minimise artificial light. Reduce the use of grow lamps and follow the sun's natural cycle. Set up energy-efficient greenhouses instead of grow boxes.
  • Rainwater collection systems send water directly to the roots. Utilise drip irrigation to deliver water to precise locations and reduce the amount used.
  • Crop rotation, companion planting, and biodiversity can help control pests and activate synergies. Only natural pesticides are allowed.
  • Use no-till farming, on-site composting, and bokashi as primary sources of nutrients.
  • Mulching and cover crops keep ecosystems alive during the off-season, suppressing bad weed growth, enriching the soil, preventing soil erosion or hardening, and providing habitats for beneficial organisms.
  • Worm farming. Enrich the soil with vermiculture to establish a synergistic network of bacteria and other organisms. Farm animals also produce nutrient-rich manure.

That’s not all you can try. You can also read our articles on how to grow organic cannabis and how to make homemade compost. And, you can even create your own landraces! By working with cannabis plants in your unique regenerating environment, you can produce genetically unique strains native to their farms. Will these “regenerative genetics” be the top-shelf outdoor strains of the near future?

Can Regenerative Cannabis Farming Reverse Climate Change?

Even if the cannabis industry is just a small piece of the big agricultural cake, on a local scale, every grower can make small changes to reduce their impact on the environment.

Small steps towards a more sustainable cannabis economy have been taken here and there around the world. In California, a new prize was established to award cannabis growers applying regenerative agriculture techniques: the Regenerative Cannabis Farm Award. Even more important, people are starting to ask where their cannabis comes from, and how it’s grown.

More and more organic cannabis growers are entering the scene, while millions of people already grow their own cannabis at home in a sustainable way. The cannabis and hemp industry should adopt regenerative growing practices where possible, thus having a positive impact both on people and the environment. Leading by example, the cannabis industry can garner even more legitimacy for the plant.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: