Understanding GACP
Before cannabis can become medicine, it must meet agricultural standards that ensure consistency, safety, and pharmaceutical potential. That’s where GACP comes in.
In the regulated European medical cannabis industry, compliance is everything. And while GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) often gets most of the attention, every compliant product starts with something just as essential, GACP.
Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) is the internationally recognized standard that defines how medicinal plants must be grown, harvested, and handled before they enter pharmaceutical processing. In the EU, GACP is not just a quality guideline, it’s the minimum requirement to supply active substances for medical use.
Let’s explore what GACP actually is, what it ensures, and why it’s critical for any serious cannabis producer.
What is GACP, exactly?
GACP was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and adopted in the EU to ensure that herbal medicinal raw materials, like cannabis, are produced under reliable, traceable, and sanitary agricultural conditions.
It applies from the moment a cannabis seed or cutting is planted, until the raw plant material is harvested, dried, and ready for GMP-level processing.
It’s not optional. In the EU, cannabis flowers or extracts used in prescription medications must come from GACP-compliant cultivation environments. Without it, you’re out of the regulated medical supply chain.
What GACP ensures at each step
1. Genetic and planting material traceability
GACP requires producers to document the source, health, and identity of the genetics used. Whether starting from seeds or clones, the origin must be verifiable—and stable.
2. Site and environment control
Cultivation must be done on appropriate land or in indoor systems that allow for controlled exposure to contaminants, with regular soil or substrate testing, environmental monitoring, and zoning to avoid cross-contamination.
3. Crop management practices
This includes everything from irrigation and lighting to fertilizer and pest control, all of which must be documented, standardized, and designed to limit variability in cannabinoid content or microbial contamination.
4. Harvest timing and technique
GACP requires harvesting to be planned and repeatable, timed to preserve maximum cannabinoid and terpene profile stability. Trained staff, clean tools, and hygiene procedures are mandatory.
5. Drying, trimming, and primary packaging
Once harvested, the cannabis must be dried and handled under clean, monitored conditions, with defined parameters for temperature, humidity, airflow, and storage. Products must be labeled and traced by batch and lot ID.
6. Personnel training and documentation
Every operator must be trained and assigned responsibilities. Every action must be logged, from planting to packaging, ensuring full traceability.
7. Deviation handling and recalls
GACP includes the ability to track any deviation, contamination, or incident, and recall affected batches if necessary.
Why GACP is essential for medical cannabis
- It guarantees consistency: Cannabinoid content can vary greatly depending on how a plant is grown. GACP minimizes that variability.
- It protects patient safety: GACP standards limit exposure to heavy metals, pesticides, and microbes, key for immunocompromised patients.
- It enables EU-GMP transition: You cannot reach GMP-compliant post-harvest handling without GACP-compliant raw material.
- It’s required for export: Most European regulators will reject cannabis flower or oil not produced under a GACP framework.
Where we stand: strictly GACP now, EU-GMP next
At Cannerald, we follow GACP guidelines with full commitment across all our cultivation operations. Every mother plant, every clone, every drying room is run with strict SOPs, full documentation, and hygiene protocols aligned with pharmaceutical expectations.
This is not just for compliance, it’s because we believe medical cannabis deserves the same level of trust and traceability as any other medicine.
We are now actively working toward our EU-GMP certification for the post-harvest and manufacturing side of our operations. The transition is demanding, but we embrace it fully. Why? Because we know that true patient care begins at the root—and must carry through to the final product.
