The cannabis market is among the fastest-growing in the United States, especially since being fully legalized in several states. According to a new report from New Frontier Data, cited in Forbes magazine, the legal cannabis market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17 percent. By 2020, medical cannabis sales are expected to be at $13.3 billion and adult recreational sales at $11.2 billion. By that same period, the industry is expected to create more than 25 million jobs.
As the industry shifts from small, unregulated cultivation rooms to larger commercial-scale operations subject to oversight, cannabis production is becoming more sophisticated. Part of this transition involves protecting crops from damaging airborne microorganisms that might proliferate in room air and cause the plants to develop mold and powdery mildew. Not only can such microbes ruin the crop, but they can force the entire facility to shut down due to health violations.