# Seed-to-sale tracking

> Seed-to-sale tracking is the regulatory system that records every licensed cannabis plant and batch from propagation through harvest, processing, testing and sale.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/seed-to-sale-tracking.html
- Also written: seed to sale, seed-to-sale, seed-to-sale system, s2s
- Glossary category: Legal and regulatory
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Seed-to-sale tracking is the requirement, in many regulated markets, that licensed businesses record each plant or batch through its whole life: propagation, [transplant](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/transplanting.md), flowering, harvest, waste, drying, processing, lab [sampling](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/homogenisation.md), packaging, transfer and retail sale. Plants or batches usually carry unique tags, often barcodes or RFID, and data is reported to a government system.

## In practice

For a [licensed grower](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/licensed-producer.md), every plant moved, every gram of waste destroyed and every package transferred has to be logged, and the inventory must reconcile. Discrepancies can trigger audits or licence action. The aim is to prevent diversion to illegal markets and to allow recalls.

The concept resembles what GenetixBay does voluntarily for genetics: [GB-IDs](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/gb-id.md) give lines, batches, plants and harvests permanent identifiers. The purposes differ. Seed-to-sale is compliance; GB-ID is provenance and preservation.

Rules differ by country, state, province and city, and change often. This is a general definition, not legal advice: check local rules.

## Don't confuse with

- **Track-and-trace**: often used as a synonym; sometimes the broader supply-chain concept.
- **Batch record**: a business's internal production log.

## Related terms

[Track-and-trace](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/track-and-trace.md), [Licensed producer](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/licensed-producer.md), [Compliance testing](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/compliance-testing.md), [GB-ID](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/gb-id.md)

## Read more

- [How to document lineage evidence (GB-ID evidence levels L0-L4)](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/breeding/documenting-lineage-evidence.md)