GenCanna announced Wednesday it received receive two audit certifications — BRC and cGMP — that are used in the manufacturing of food and beverages, making it the first and only hemp company nationwide to do so.

GenCanna’s Chief Science Officer Chris Stubbs said GenCanna’s certification via these two audits demonstrates once again they are the nation’s leader in the burgeoning hemp industry.

“What’s unique about BRC is that it requires senior level management commitment to quality and requires the entire business to understand that commitment,” he said.

Stubbs said earning the certifications also shows the strength of GenCanna’s quality management system as well as the strength of its partnerships.

“It means all the systems in place are working very well,” he said.

These certifications, he said, are further proof the hemp industry has a secure business future.

“Everything that we’ve learned and done in Central Kentucky will then be applied to our future sites,” Stubbs said. “… These management systems will scale with us… Every site we open up will be accredited in a similar fashion.”

Stubbs said food and beverage manufacturers look for these certifications when making purchasing decisions; the certifications legitimize CBD as food ingredients.

“It’s impossible to have to hose conversations as a manufacturer when you don’t have a global food accreditation,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs said while the FDA is still making its rules about hemp, GenCanna took it upon themselves to be one step ahead of the curve by initiating these audits. Stubbs said GenCanna completed the audit in March, and wouldn’t have been successful without the support and hard work of GenCanna’s entire staff, administration and partners.

“You have to have a third party come in and audit your system and put a stamp on it and make it real,” Stubbs said.

With these accreditations under their belt, GenCanna plans to continue to grow and change the scope of the work it is doing, Stubbs said.

“For us it’s about leadership, leading by example, opening up our wings to bring people along with us,” Stubbs said. “I think that’s truly the way to create a sustainable ecosystem…We will continue to innovate and be industry leaders.”