Agri Business Review: Specials Magazine

Each year, billions of coconuts are harvested globally for their water, milk, oil and meat and their husks are once discarded as agricultural waste. At PlantBest, this once-overlooked byproduct has become the foundation of an international operation that helps growers reduce their environmental impact while improving crop performance. “I’ve never seen anything like it. This product outperforms traditional growing media across the board, delivering outstanding results for growers and gardeners while saving water, reducing labor and, in its compressed form, making it easier to transport for customers and businesses alike. Beyond that, it’s sustainable, cost-effective and a meaningful step toward solving the climate crisis. It’s truly remarkable!” says Brian Luborsky, founder. The traditional alternative, peat, incurs a significantly higher environmental cost. “When I read that drained and degraded peatlands contribute around 4 percent of annual global human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Global Peatlands Assessment published by the UN Environment Program, I knew I had to act. I realized I could bring a better product to the marketplace while making a positive impact for future generations,” adds Luborsky.

In modern cannabis cultivation, especially in Canada, consistency, quality, and compliance are the name of the game. Yet, cultivators often walk a tightrope in meeting strict regulatory standards while scaling operations in both local and international markets. Products grown with uncertified inputs risk failing export tests due to contaminants or banned substances, resulting in customs rejections, costly delays, and licensing issues. Here, Athena Ag (Athena) makes a meaningful entrance, helping growers strike the balance between compliance and quality. By manufacturing nutrients and inputs under a QMS certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards, the company ensures safety, consistency, and compliance from day one. Athena challenges the status quo through its clean formulations and manufacturing standards. As a result, cultivators achieve higher pass rates for microbial and chemical testing, de-risk batches, and maintain the permits needed to stay inspection-ready at all times. In turn, brands gain long-term credibility in export markets. “Our goal is to help cultivators grow healthier plants, reduce risks and pass critical testing, all while improving overall operations,” says Taylor Rauls, director of marketing. “This enables them to stay compliant in both domestic and export markets.” Athena provides everything from nutrient documentation, a record of inputs through to finished products, minimizing contaminants and offering full traceability. On the operational side, the company delivers less variability, fewer corrective actions, and more consistent EC and pH control, along with cleaner SOP alignment. The outcome? Fewer costly compliance errors, better margins and a certification pedigree that builds buyer and investor trust. But more importantly, Athena plays a hands-on role in helping cultivators meet current regulations and hold valid certifications. Every federal license holder must comply with part 5 of the Good Production Practices (GPP), which covers sanitization, record keeping, testing, and QA oversight. To ensure readiness, the company integrates all required documentation directly into the cultivator’s quality manual for the next Health Canada or EU GMP audit.