Contact: 09 815 3954 - hemptesting@esr.cri.nz
ESR offers testing services to growers of industrial hemp to meet the requirements of the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Regulations 2006. The Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) is an approved laboratory for testing hemp.
ESR Guidelines for the Submission of Hemp Samples for Ministry of Health Licensing Requirements
The object of these regulations is to enable the cultivation and distribution of industrial hemp under a licensing regime that ensures that other forms of cannabis are not cultivated and distributed under the guise of industrial hemp.
Industrial hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa that has a low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content generally below 0.35 percent (and not above 0.5 percent).
The Ministry of Health has more information available on Industrial Hemp.
Medicines Control Phone number 04 496 2018
The customer or licence holder is responsible for contacting ESR and preparing a Contract for Services prior to the collection and submission of samples. Procedures for collection and submission of samples need to be followed closely to assist analysis.
You must complete the online Hemp Test Submission below (including agreeing to ESR’s standard terms and conditions) and pay before any analysis commences.
Collecting and Sending cultivars
Sending samples
Please address all samples to:
AXiS Team
ESR
Mount Albert Science Centre
120 Mount Albert Road
Mount Albert
AUCKLAND, 1025
Samples required for analysis
A representative sample of plants is required from each cultivar that is to be analysed. Samples are required from a minimum of five plants from each cultivar, exposed to different environmental conditions, e.g. edges of plot, centre of plot.
For example, if two cultivars are to be analysed, then submit representative samples from five plants of Cultivar A and representative samples from five plants of Cultivar B.
If a single cultivar has been grown from more than one seed stock, a representative sample must include plants grown from each seed stock.
ESR will combine the samples within each cultivar, for one analysis per cultivar.
Please ensure that this sampling procedure is followed to ensure that there is no delay in testing.
Plant material sampling
The whole plant is not required for testing.
Collect all of the seed head (if present) and the growing top 10 to 15 centimetres of the plant (include all leaf, seed head and stalk) - from a minimum of five plants for each cultivar.
If ESR considers any samples inadequate for satisfactory testing, the laboratory may request the licence holder to provide additional samples for analysis.
Drying and packaging of samples
Samples should be air dried for at least one day, preferably two, prior to sending to ESR. Packaging of fresh plant material can quickly degrade if not dried appropriately beforehand.
Each sample must be stored in a separate paper package e.g. paper envelope, and labelled with:
-
Name of cultivar
-
Reference of sample to sampling location, e.g. “A”, “B”, “C” and so on
Please do not package in plastic.
Send the packaged plant material to ESR with documentation as described above.
Samples should be delivered to ESR, either personally, or by overnight courier.
Please do not send samples on a Friday, as degradation of the plant material can occur if samples are left over the weekend in a courier/storage facility.
In order to process these samples efficiently please include a copy of your Receipt Number.
Further information
Hemp Payments and Prices
Price list
The table below shows how much to pay for the number of tests you ordered, each test costs $575 incl. GST.
When you pay using our secure payments system, please enter the amount from the "Cost (incl. GST)" column.
|
Number of Cultivars* |
Cost (incl. GST) |
|
1 |
$ 575 |
|
2 |
$ 1,150 |
|
3 |
$ 1,725 |
|
4 |
$ 2,300 |
|
5 |
$ 2,875 |
|
6 |
$ 3,450 |
|
7 |
$ 4,025 |
|
8 |
$ 4,600 |
|
9 |
$ 5,175 |
|
10 |
$ 5,750 |
Each cultivar must contain a minimum of five plant samples
A 3% surcharge is applied to all Credit and Debit Card payments.
Payment
You can pay for your tests on our secure payments system. After receiving your results an invoice will be sent for your records/tax purposes.