Metrc (Minnesota) Support Bulletin MN_IB_0066 (distributed 06/29/2026, effective ongoing) explains how to create, weigh, correct, waste, package, and finish Harvest Batches in Metrc to reduce common errors and improve reporting visibility for Minnesota cannabis operators.
Bulletin purpose and why it matters in daily operations
This guidance, provided by Metrc in conjunction with the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), is designed to standardize how licensees complete the harvest workflow in Metrc.
Practically, the bulletin impacts how your team names harvests, selects plants, records total wet weight, reports harvest waste, creates packages (including fresh frozen), and closes harvests so downstream inventory, transfers, testing workflows, and compliance reporting remain accurate.
Harvest Batch definitions used in Metrc (Minnesota)
Harvest Batch: A uniform collection of cannabis plants harvested together, sharing the same strain or genetic stock (see 342.01 Subd. 7(2)).
Manicure Batch: A partial harvest where portions of a plant are removed while the remainder stays in the ground. Each Manicure Batch is associated with a single day’s harvest activity and should remain strain-specific.
Auto Flower: A cannabis variety that automatically switches from vegetative to flowering growth stage based on age.
Photoperiod Plant Flower: A cannabis variety whose vegetative and flowering phases are controlled by the frequency and duration of light exposure.
Total Wet Weight: The initial, untrimmed weight recorded immediately after harvest and before any drying or curing occurs.
Waste (Harvest): Plant materials removed before drying or processing (for example, fan leaves, stalks, stems, roots) that were included in the reported wet weight.
Moisture Loss: A value Metrc calculates as Total Wet Weight minus Waste weight minus Packaged weight.
Harvest/Manicure Batch naming conventions are separate from item naming for products set up in Metrc, so your internal naming standard should account for both without mixing them up.
Creating a Harvest Batch in Metrc (Minnesota)
Harvesting in Metrc can be performed for a single plant or multiple plants to create a Harvest Batch.
• In Metrc, navigate to the Plants area and open the plants grid.
• Select the Flowering tab and highlight the plants you are harvesting into one Harvest Batch.
Strain-specific rule: Each Harvest Batch must be strain-specific, and all plants must be harvested (physically and electronically) on the same day.
Selection limits: Up to 500 plants can be selected in the grid for harvest on a single screen; for more than 500 plants, harvest activity can be recorded via CSV upload.
Harvest vs. Manicure: Use the Harvest action when fully harvesting a plant. Use the Manicure action only when removing usable cannabis material prior to a complete harvest, allowing the plant to continue growing. The bulletin emphasizes that Manicure should never be used as a substitute for Harvest when the plant is fully harvested.
Harvest naming: Metrc requires each Harvest Batch name to be unique. The bulletin suggests a standardized naming approach such as “Plant Strain Name | Date(s) of Harvest or Manicure | HB or MB | Auto or Photo,” as long as it produces unique names.
Using the harvest mini template: When harvesting multiple plants, use the mini template fields (name, date, unit of measure, location) and apply them across selected plants to reduce data-entry errors and improve consistency.
Recording Total Wet Weight correctly (per-plant entry required)
What to weigh: Total wet weight is the initial, untrimmed weight taken immediately after harvest and before drying or curing. When weighing, include all parts of the harvested plant, including flowers, stalks, and stems.
Metrc entry requirement: Wet weight must be entered for each individual plant in the harvest action window.
OCM averaging allowance: OCM allows businesses to average the total wet weight across all plants in a harvest batch, but you must still enter a weight for each plant. Example: if 200 lbs. are harvested from 95 plants, you may enter 2.105 lbs. per plant (200 ÷ 95) instead of weighing each plant individually.
Operational implication: If you choose averaging, ensure your internal SOP documents how total batch wet weight was obtained (scale method, container tare, and calculation), because Metrc will still show individual plant wet weights and auditors may ask how you derived them.
Verifying a Harvest Batch and correcting mistakes
After creating the harvest, review it in the Harvested area to confirm the Harvest Batch name, strain, and total wet weight reflect what occurred physically.
Wet weight scope: The total wet weight should represent the entire harvested plant material, not only the portion you expect to dry, cure, or use for production.
Discontinue window: Minnesota license holders have 72 hours to discontinue a Harvest Batch to correct errors (for example, removing accidentally included plants from a different strain).
If past 72 hours: If the 72-hour discontinuation window has passed, the bulletin directs licensees to contact OCM for assistance at metrc.ocm@state.mn.us.
Reporting harvest waste for the batch
Once the Harvest Batch exists, collect the physical waste attributed to that batch and record it in Metrc using the Report Waste action from the Harvested area.
Operational implication: Timely waste reporting helps keep the batch’s remaining weight aligned with what is truly available for packaging and prevents confusion later when Metrc calculates moisture loss at finish.
Packaging from Harvest Batches (including fresh frozen)
When material is ready to package, use the Create Packages action from the Harvested area.
Combining harvests: Harvests created within 72 hours of one another and of the same strain can be packaged together, supporting practical post-harvest workflows while maintaining strain integrity.
Fresh frozen item category: If flower is frozen while wet for extraction, package it using the item category “FRESH FROZEN FLOWER.”
Dried flower item category: If flower has been dried and cured, package it using “CANNABIS FLOWER (BULK).”
Operational implication: Selecting the correct item category impacts downstream processing, transfers, labeling, and reporting. Align your internal product definitions with how Metrc expects inventory to be categorized at the time of packaging.
Finishing a Harvest Batch and how Metrc calculates moisture loss
After all waste has been reported and all physical product has been packaged, finish the harvest using the Finish action. This moves the harvest to the Inactive area.
Moisture loss calculation: Any remaining weight associated with the Harvest Batch after waste reporting and packaging is automatically attributed to moisture loss and shown in the Moisture Loss column.
Fresh frozen nuance: For harvests packaged as “FRESH FROZEN FLOWER,” there may be no moisture loss recorded because the material is typically packaged immediately after waste removal, before drying-related moisture reduction occurs.
Unfinishing a Harvest Batch (when finished in error)
If a harvest was finished in error, it can be “unfinished” so additional packaging or waste reporting can be completed correctly.
Operational implication: Build a supervisor review step before finishing harvests so teams do not need to reverse completion to correct preventable issues (missing waste, incorrect package creation, or naming inconsistencies).
Practical compliance takeaways for Minnesota operators
Train on Harvest vs. Manicure: Misusing Manicure in place of Harvest can create inventory integrity problems and complicate audits because the plant lifecycle and harvest records will not match what occurred physically.
Control strain integrity: The strain-specific and same-day requirements mean you should plan harvest schedules and room moves so plants of different strains are not commingled in a single harvest action.
Standardize naming conventions: Unique harvest names reduce confusion across teams (cultivation, post-harvest, extraction, compliance) and improve traceability during reconciliations and inspections.
Document your weighing method: Whether weighing each plant or averaging across the batch, consistent documentation supports defensible Metrc entries and smoother internal reviews.
Use the 72-hour correction window: If something is wrong, act quickly. Waiting beyond 72 hours may require regulator involvement to remediate the record.
Labeling support: DistruLabels and DistruERP
DistruLabels (free): DistruLabels is a 100% free tool for creating compliant packaging and retail labels, helping operators format and print labels that align with Metrc-related requirements such as Metrc Retail ID usage and scannable label workflows.
DistruERP (for larger operations): DistruERP is Distru’s comprehensive Cannabis ERP platform designed for larger, more complex operators that need end-to-end supply chain management across cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, inventory, and compliance operations integrated with Metrc processes.
Metrc support and training resources referenced in the bulletin
Metrc Support Portal: Access support at https://support.metrc.com (also accessible from within the Metrc system via the Support menu). First-time access typically requires your username, state selection, facility license number, and a valid email to set a password.
Metrc Learn: Training resources are available at https://learn.metrc.com, with registration accessible from the Metrc system under the Support menu (Sign up for Training) or via your state partner page on Metrc’s website.
Metrc Expert: Within Metrc, use the widget icon (lower right) to access the Metrc Expert knowledge base for step-by-step guidance and searchable help content.
