Spilling the Beans  #HeyBTA we have a connection!  It’s been a while in the making so we’re pleased to share that we’re finding our feet and rhythm with newfound partners in education and product research: CannaReps. This incredible company was established by cannabis powerhouse Julie Domingo and the legendary Adolfo Gonzalez, whose roots are cemented in the BC legacy cannabis space, and who for the better part of the last decade, have developed hours of learning to educate people on cannabis and identify what makes good weed. We’re excited for BTA members to benefit from a range of resources including discounted courses and training programs that will expand your curiosity and knowledge, to free digital content that will further shape your relationship with cannabis.  Perhaps most notably, CannaReps is also responsible for developing the well respected Cannabis Sommelier™ Certification Program which has gained renown across North America as a leading course in the sector, offering individuals noteworthy tools for self-expansion. Another reason we knew this connection needed to happen.  Respect.   What it all means  We’re grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with CannaReps regularly and continue to learn alongside each other.  This alliance supports our industry, consumers, the Budtender community, and you individually in the following ways: Standardization and Benchmarking Updates to the BTA Tasting program: BTA and CannaReps recently met at The New Amsterdam Cafe in Vancouver to agree upon a standard cannabis grading tool. Largely based on the original Cannabis Sommelier Quality Grading Tool and incorporating the best elements from BTA’s Tasting Notes, we are proud to now be using the most precise and powerful assessment tool for analyzing and grading cannabis.  In consultation with our Advisory Board, consisting of Budtenders and Retail Management across Canada, we have agreed to use this 100 point system going forward for all community Tastings and Sampling. Most of you have already participated in one of our paid Tastings so this WILL NOT affect how the program is run. Everything stays the same in terms of the process for purchasing a SKU (and uploading a photo of it with its corresponding receipt) to how Nugz are rewarded on your profile and the redemption for e-transfer remains unchanged. The only thing that’s different is the format of the Tasting Notes (QGT). A universal tool used by cannabis professionals sets the standard for an industry and creates benchmarks holding industry stakeholders accountable. Click here to learn more from Julie about how the new grading tool works!  Access  Working together means our networks expand and integrate so our members gain broader access to increased networking opportunities, free admissions to events such as Collector’s Cup, more videos, articles and online virtual sessions with the crew! All for free. CannaReps also hosts the Budtender education games at b.lounge - our traveling event celebrating the plant people. Learn more about b.lounge events  Learn more about Collector’s Cup Knowledge is Power A big part of knowing your cannabis is the gustatory evaluation and assessment of your flower and other ingestible products. That’s one of the reasons for Tasting Notes in the first place and improved the Quality Grading Tool we use! Not only does taking time to assess flower create more space for mindfulness, it also helps you differentiate, keep track of, compliantly speak to, deepen your understanding of, and help your connect her to the right consumer, it also creates a seamless opportunity for your feedback and expertise to be navigated back to the various teams responsible for getting product on the shelf. Budtender Contribution  Being a Budtender, and therefore the largest influencer in the regulated cannabis industry, carries its corresponding weight of responsibility: to offer insight into how your experiences, conversations, knowledge, preferences and beliefs impact the outcome and growth of the markets and to better support fellow industry colleagues across the supply chain.  Together we solve consumer pain points, continue destigmatizing and normalizing a positive relationship between plants and people by sharing feedback and learnings. Your contribution to building the world’s largest professionally reviewed database for cannabis products means you are setting the bar and Canada is leading the way to an important benchmark for the rest of the world. Sneak Peak This is just the beginning. BTA has also partnered with a US tech company to power and provide our members with a dashboard that analyzes and interactively displays your collective feedback, painting a detailed picture that you made happen. Expect access in 2023!  More information to be released at a later date including details about the launch of our new sampling program and paid opportunities.