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Labor management system even more widely applicable after update

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1 month ago

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In the Netherlands, greenhouse growers are increasingly looking for ways to manage energy and labor costs. This was also a key theme at the recent Aardbeiendag (Strawberry Day), where Ridder presented its work management system, Ridder Productive. The system has been updated to better meet the specific needs of strawberry growers, with further updates being developed. Sales director Niels Hiemstra explained.

Ridder Productive has been on the market for over 30 years and is widely used in the greenhouse industry. According to Hiemstra, the system has traditionally been adopted by large fruit and vegetable producers. “As Ridder, we focus on those growers in the Netherlands, Belgium and North America and Mexico as well. However, the product itself is fundamentally much broader.”

© Thijmen Tiersma | MMJDaily.comNiels Hiemstra and Arjan van der Klaauw on Strawberry Day

Adapted for strawberry cultivation
The work management system allows growers to record what tasks are done, where and when they are done and what the production is. At the request of customers, specific adjustments have been made for strawberry production, so that labor and production can be recorded more precisely.

In the early years, before the change to Ridder Productive, the system was known as P-Plus or PadPlus. It supported a work record per row. Strawberry growers, however, harvest the crop in crates that are placed in crates. Therefore, Ridder has introduced the possibility to record the activities of each box containing packaged fruit.

NFC tags or QR codes
The system uses scanners capable of reading NFC tags and QR codes. As Hiemstra explains: “In a previous version of the system, which is still widely used, growers work with fixed terminals in various places in the greenhouse. Work activities are recorded by entering the corresponding codes. This can lead to errors. When an NFC tag is reduced in a row, on a harvest trolley or in a box or box in strawberry production, it mainly reduces errors by the user. Terminal-based registration in scanners with NFC tags.”

The option to scan QR codes or barcodes also creates opportunities for traceability. QR codes could already be scanned for punnets, and this functionality has now been extended to other elements, such as rows. A QR code or barcode from an external party can also be used, allowing the scanned product to be tracked to the customer throughout the supply chain. This allows growers to see where, when and by whom a specific crate or crate was harvested.

With these adaptations, Ridder Productive has become more suitable for strawberry cultivation, which is increasingly carried out in high-tech greenhouses. As a result, cultivation has come closer to Ridder’s traditional approach. Hiemstra occasionally knows strawberry growers who don’t use labor record systems, but who are considering it as their business expands. “As they grow, they realize that more professionalization is necessary. They move from basic time recording to a more detailed and comprehensive work management system.”

© RidderWith the Scanner app, an employee scans NFC tags or QR codes

Combining greenhouse and outdoor cultivation
In the Netherlands, Ridder has traditionally been active in high-tech greenhouses. However, Ridder Productive can also be used in open ground production, for example by strawberry growers who combine greenhouse cultivation with outdoor fields. In both situations, a detailed and accurate work record is required.

“Measuring who does what and where can be done both in the greenhouse and in field crops,” says Niels Hiemstra. “Instead of linking data to a specific row in the greenhouse, you can just as easily link it to a specific area.”

He recognizes that the labor management system is still relatively little used in outdoor cultivation. However, he hopes that may change as strawberry production continues to expand. Lettuce and herb producers, for example, combine greenhouse and outdoor production.

Outside the Netherlands, Hiemstra knows users of Ridder Productive in lettuce production. The ability to scan NFC tags or QR codes plays an important role. “When we only worked with fixed terminals, it was less practical to use in open areas, partly because of the cable requirements. Hardware was a limitation. Now that we work with scanners and can equip robust smartphones for scanning, the system has become more accessible for outdoor crops.”

In principle, ornamental producers can also use the system. However, Hiemstra points out that there is generally less demand for detailed employment records in this segment. “Often, more attention is paid to the entire production. But for companies that want to accurately measure work performance, the system can certainly be applied there as well.”

© RidderRidder also offers a manager application in Ridder Productive. There, a work manager can see the performance of the employees.

New version coming soon
Ridder Productive, which has been in the market for more than three decades, continues to evolve. According to Niels Hiemstra, continuous development is essential, especially in software. “If you get stuck in software, you quickly fall behind.”

The ’26 version is expected to be introduced this year. “It includes many small improvements that make everyday use easier. They may not all be very visible, but they make a difference in practice.”

This is on purpose, he explained. Satisfied users aren’t necessarily looking for major changes every six to twelve months. They prefer stability in features that work well and are popular. Ridder takes this into account in the upcoming update.

One area where the changes will be more noticeable is the dashboard environment. In cooperation with various manufacturers, the design and information display have been significantly improved. “We offer a standard configuration, but it is possible to create a custom panel at the request of the user with the help of our service department.”

© Thijmen Tiersma | MMJDaily.com

Combining with other data sources
In addition to work management systems, many greenhouse companies know Ridder for their drive systems, Hortimax climate computers and climate monitors.

In terms of software, Ridder deliberately keeps the Ridder Productive and the Hortimax climate computer as separate systems. “Both products are part of the management of a modern greenhouse operation,” says Niels Hiemstra, “but growers can choose from us whether they want to use both systems.”

Growers who work with a different climate computer can also use Ridder Productive. According to Hiemstra, Ridder is open to creating data links with other systems upon user request. “This way, we ensure that our systems fit into the wider greenhouse ecosystem and that the grower is properly protected.”

For more information:
Niels Hiemstra
Equestrian
(email protected)
www.ridder.com/nl/arbeidsmanagement

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State hemp license applications end April 30

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16 hours ago

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April 19, 2026

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Those wishing to grow and process hemp this year must apply for a license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) by April 30. Each license is valid until December 31 of the year it is issued. Graduates must reapply annually to continue in the program. An MDA license is required for individuals and businesses.

So far, about 30 people have applied for the 2026 MDA license, compared to 84 applicants last year.

These licenses are for the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp only. The hemp license application is not for adult use or for growing or selling medical cannabis. The application is also not intended for the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Information on adult use and medical cannabis is available Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) website.

There are applications of industrial hemp MDA website. Along with the online form, first-time applicants and authorized representatives must submit fingerprints and pass a criminal background check.

There are also several updates for the 2026 season. The extraction of cannabinoids from hemp is now regulated by the OCM, meaning that anyone interested in this type of processing will need a separate licence. The rates have also changed. The base cost of a hemp license is now $400, with an additional $250 per growing or processing location. The previous $250 processor license fee has been removed, but a 5% surcharge now applies to upgrades to MDA’s technology systems.

All authorized representatives listed on an application must pass a background check before being licensed. In addition, each lot of hemp must undergo THC testing before harvest, and each official sample collected by the MDA costs $100.

Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture










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Colorado Marijuana Officials Announce Crackdown On Sales Of Hemp Products Amid ‘Risks To Public Safety’

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16 hours ago

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April 18, 2026

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These issues “pose serious risks to public safety, market integrity, and the tax revenue framework that supports Colorado’s regulated cannabis industry.”

By Christopher Osher, ProPublica and Evan Wyloge, The Denver Gazette

This story was originally published by ProPublica.

Colorado regulators announced Monday that they plan to crack down on companies that sell cheaper, potentially dangerous, illegal hemp products as marijuana.

The state’s Division of Marijuana Enforcement said it had identified “compliance issues” that threaten to dismantle the marijuana industry in the nation’s first legal retail market.

These problems “pose serious risks to public safety, market integrity and the tax revenue framework that supports Colorado’s regulated cannabis industry,” the agency said in an industry newsletter.

An investigation by the Denver Gazette and ProPublica in January reported that despite Colorado being one of the first states to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products, the legislature and regulators. he failed adopting many of the rules that other states have used to keep hemp products off the medical marijuana shelves.

Creating evaporative and edible liquid distillate from hemp is much cheaper than using marijuana, giving companies a competitive advantage.

But regulators say they are concerned that manufacturers are relying on toxic and dangerous chemicals to convert the non-toxic CBD compound that is predominant in hemp into THC, the psychoactive compound that makes people feel high. Regulators have banned this chemical synthesis, saying they fear chemical residues could remain in the finished product, putting consumers at risk.

Colorado manufacturers have taken advantage of loopholes in the state’s testing and enforcement system to continue using hemp to make products marketed as marijuana, even though doing so is against state law, according to regulatory studies, previous agency bulletins and testimony and lab results contained in several lawsuits.

In 2024, state investigators found that a popular brand of marijuana sold at dispensaries was not only derived from hemp, but also contaminated with methylene chloride, the chemical often used to convert CBD from hemp into THC. Marijuana is banned by Colorado regulators and banned for most uses by the US Environmental Protection Agency because it can cause liver and lung cancer and damage the nervous, immune and reproductive systems.

Ware House, the company that manufactured these vaporizers, relinquished its marijuana license in response to the investigation. Ware Hause’s owner, Thanh Hau, and the company’s lawyer declined to comment.

Congress passed a law last November that bans nearly all hemp products nationwide starting this fall, but it’s unclear how the government will enforce the ban, and hemp growers are reeling.

In December, President Donald Trump issued an executive order telling his aides to work with Congress to develop rules that could allow certain hemp products.

The Colorado Division of Marijuana Enforcement made the announcement Monday newsletter agency officials stated that they “identified and investigated evidence” that marijuana companies are using illegal practices and prohibited methods to manufacture products, instead of relying on marijuana, which is supposed to be monitored for safety.

The Colorado Hemp Association and the Colorado Hemp Education Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Beyond safety concerns, the bulletin also noted that some marijuana manufacturers and growers are avoiding marijuana tax obligations through “a pattern of non-compliance” in sales operations they report to the state’s “seed-to-sale” tracking system, which tracks marijuana from the initial planting to the sale of flower, vapes and other products at dispensaries.

Companies misrepresent marijuana sales at nominal prices, in some cases as low as $1 per pound for unprocessed marijuana material, the newsletter said. Those products typically fetch more than $600 per pound on the market, depending on the category of marijuana, according to industry experts.

That fraudulent reporting has stolen millions of dollars in marijuana taxes from state and local governments, industry experts say, though no official estimate is available.

The agency said it will follow emergency rules to address these issues. The bulletin emphasized that suspicious and abnormal transactions and inventories detected by the state will prompt investigations. Companies caught using hemp or other illegal material passed off as marijuana face “immediate product embargo, license suspension or revocation, significant fines and law enforcement,” regulators warned.

The Denver Gazette and ProPublica have tried to track the anomalous transactions, but the Division of Marijuana Enforcement’s sales transaction records, even those that do not identify the companies, are not public.

Marijuana industry representatives met with the division’s regulators late last month to push for a more aggressive response to the agency’s hemp replacement, even though it could affect some companies in the industry. The representatives argued that bad actors are unfairly driving down prices and shifting the tax burden to manufacturers and growers who are trying to comply with the rules. The newsletter was released a couple of weeks after that meeting.

“The division is also considering additional changes to its testing and screening protocols” to detect illegal products and prohibited methods, and may require additional laboratory tests “if needed for products throughout the supply chain,” the agency’s bulletin said.

This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network Denver Magazine. Sign up for Submissions to receive stories in your inbox every week.

user photo WeedPornDaily.

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Nascent medical cannabis industry aims for growth

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2 days ago

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April 18, 2026

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The medicinal cannabis sector is struggling to take root, and another specialist processing plant is set to close. But with current regulations and a new collective industry in mind, New Zealanders are promising to reduce their reliance on imported medicinals.

There was great excitement when medicinal cannabis was legalized and then regulated in 2020, with the hope of growing the domestic sector and serving patients here and abroad. However, since then, several companies have closed their doors, including Greenfern Industries, Cannasouth and, most recently, Helius Therapeutics.

The latter plans to close the East Tāmaki plant, affecting 65 workers. It is one of the few medicinal cannabis factories in the entire nation that has a specialized processing certificate called “Good Manufacturing Practice” (GMP).

Medical Cannabis Council executive director Sally King said that under current rules, most growers did not have such certification, and could only sell raw ingredients, not processed products such as more profitable cannabis capsules.

Read more at the town










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