The Cannabis Regulatory Agency’s Enforcement Division has observed a significant number of errors in how marijuana trade samples are processed, transferred, handled, and tracked in Metrc. To avoid making these errors, to improve inventory tracking, and to avoid potential non-compliance, licensees are encouraged to review the following information.
Under the administrative rules, a trade sample refers to a marijuana product sample supplied by a cultivator or producer to licensees so they may assess the product before deciding whether to purchase it.
The following license types may transfer trade samples:
- Growers may transfer to processors or sales locations
- Processors may transfer to other processors or sales locations
Licensees should review R 420.508 (Rule 8) for information regarding compliant trade sample transfers and have a standard operating procedure (SOP) for receiving and distributing trade samples at their business.
- Any packages designated as a trade sample must be marked as such in Metrc and must include a label with the statement “TRADE SAMPLE NOT FOR RESALE”
- Trade samples may be transferred by an employee of the shipping license, provided the total amount of marijuana being transferred does not exceed 15 total ounces or 60 grams of concentrate – otherwise, the transfer must be conducted by a secure transporter
- When a trade sample is delivered to another license, the receiving license should receive or reject the transfer in Metrc, and the shipping license should confirm that the transfer was completed in Metrc and the designation of “trade sample” shall remain with the package
- By rule, a trade sample cannot be transferred again by the receiving license
- A trade sample cannot be sold to a consumer
- Trade samples are dispensed only to employees via package adjustment in Metrc; the “trade sample” adjustment type should be used, and the employee receiving the trade sample should be noted in the adjustment comment in Metrc, either by name or by Metrc ID
- If the trade samples are dispensed to employees using a penny sale instead of a package adjustment, this will show up in Metrc as a sale to a consumer and will be in violation of the administrative rules
- All trade samples must be full compliance tested prior to transfer.
For questions, contact CRA-info@michigan.gov. Also, please make plans to join CRA/Metrc Lead Analyst Garrett Shireman on January 29, 2026, for an education session on compliant trade sample transfers.
