The New York State Office of Cannabis Management plans to replace its BioTrack system with Metrc as the official Seed-to-Sale tracking platform to enhance regulatory compliance. This shift follows a comprehensive assessment deeming Metrc the better option for state interests, with integration targeted for early 2026. Licensees must maintain real-time inventory tracking during the transition while preparing for new requirements.
Seed-to-Sale Tracking and the Rationale for Change
Seed-to-Sale systems monitor cannabis plants from planting through harvest, processing, testing, packaging, and retail sale, ensuring traceability for safety and regulatory purposes. New York's cannabis market, legalized for adult use in recent years, relies on such technology to prevent diversion, verify potency, and enforce tax collection. The Office of Cannabis Management evaluated both BioTrack and Metrc, concluding the switch serves the state's oversight needs amid growing industry scale.
Transition Timeline, Costs, and Technical Details
The agency will collaborate with Metrc on a project timeline, sharing updates on testing environments, inventory tags, and integrations as they develop. Metrc charges $0.10 per unique identifier under its existing contract but supplies plant tags, package tags, and retail ID QR codes at no extra cost. Third-party integrators face no transition fees, easing the shift for fully integrated BioTrack users.
Licensee Responsibilities During the Switch
Firms with BioTrack integrations must log out to halt API data flows, yet continue real-time electronic inventory tracking and preserve all historical records. Transfers between licensees proceed via paper manifests, sales reports submit through the existing portal, and all documentation remains available for agency review. Permitted labs must transmit testing data to Metrc once operational.
Handling Immature Plants Under New Rules
Cultivators assign unique identifiers to individual plants upon entering the vegetative stage, but earlier immature plants may form batches of up to 100 from the same strain. Each batch receives a Metrc-provided plant tag and UID, kept visible and clean for inspection. Records in the system must capture location, planting date, plant count, and strain details, accommodating high early-stage losses while maintaining accountability.
