True North Opens Minnesota’s First Cannabis-Only Testing Facility

True North Analytical officially opened its doors on September 1, 2026, in Roseville, Minnesota, becoming the state’s first laboratory dedicated entirely to cannabis and hemp testing, the company announced. The facility said it offers the scientific rigor required to meet standards set by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), the agency that regulates the state’s cannabis market.

Every regulated cannabis product sold in Minnesota must undergo laboratory testing before reaching consumers. The OCM requires all licensed cannabis businesses to have their products tested under the agency’s Cannabis Technical Authority — its standards for sampling and testing cannabis and hemp products — at a testing facility located in the state and licensed by the OCM. Licensed hemp businesses must likewise test their products in accordance with the Cannabis Technical Authority and in compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 342.61.

“Cannabis products deserve the same safety standards consumers expect from food and medicine,” said Stephanie Fettig-Scholl, the laboratory’s owner and founder, in the company’s announcement. “Our role is to provide the science and testing that helps ensure consumers can trust what they are putting into their bodies.”

Testing Menu and State Authorization

True North Analytical said it offers nine categories of cannabis testing: potency, microbials, pesticide residue, heavy metals, residual solvents, terpene analysis, water activity, mycotoxins, and foreign material. On its website, the company describes the panel as the full suite of laboratory testing services required by the OCM for licensed cannabis and hemp products, covering compliance testing and product development alike.

The OCM’s registry of licensed testing facilities lists True North Analytical as authorized to conduct potency, microbial, mycotoxin, heavy metals, pesticide, residual solvent, foreign matter, and terpene testing across flower, concentrates, and finished products. The registry assigns the laboratory Metrc license number TF-L25-000014-02-TST, lists its address at 2656 Patton Road in Roseville, and identifies Zac Remillard as director of chemistry.

The OCM notes on the same registry that laboratories authorized for potency analysis are also authorized to perform homogeneity analysis, and that laboratories authorized for both potency and microbial analyses are also authorized to perform stability analysis.

Four other facilities appear on the OCM registry alongside True North Analytical: Adams Independent Testing in Moorhead, ChRi Labs in St. Paul, Fina Lab in Waseca, and PhytoLab MN in Chisago City. Their authorizations vary. Fina Lab is authorized for potency and microbial testing, and PhytoLab MN is authorized for potency and microbial testing of finished products, while the remaining fields for each are listed as not authorized. ChRi Labs holds full authorizations, with pesticides testing allowed under a variance from the OCM. The company characterized True North Analytical as the first laboratory in the state dedicated 100% to cannabis and hemp testing.

Turnaround Time and Company Background

The company said its laboratory maintains the state-mandated 10-day turnaround time, describing testing backlogs and product scarcity as a significant pain point for store owners and producers. The announcement stated that systematic use of laboratory data supports continuous improvement in product quality and consistency.

“Our lab is maintaining the turnaround required by the state, and the quality of our testing is what allows the industry to grow responsibly,” Fettig-Scholl said. “However, the fastest test is meaningless if it isn’t accurate. Accuracy matters because businesses and consumers rely on results to make important decisions. That’s the commitment we’ve made at True North.”

Fettig-Scholl also pointed to the experience behind the new operation. “Cannabis may be a new regulated industry in Minnesota, but the science behind accurate testing is not,” she said. “Our team applies years of laboratory experience to every sample we test.”

According to the company, its services span cannabinoid potency testing to verify accurate product labeling, microbial screening for bacteria, yeast, and mold, detection of pesticide residues and heavy metals that plants may absorb from soil, water, or growing media, and analysis of residual solvents that can remain after extraction. The laboratory also measures terpenes, the aromatic compounds that contribute to flavor and aroma, along with water activity, mycotoxins produced by molds such as Aspergillus, and foreign material such as particulates, packaging materials, hair, or insects.

The company’s stated regulatory support areas include pre-market product compliance testing, OCM-aligned certificate-of-analysis formatting, safety testing for consumer product approval, batch testing records for license holders, hemp-derived product documentation, and multi-product manufacturer testing programs. On its about page, the company describes its mission as delivering regulator-aligned analytical services that strengthen compliance, protect consumers, and support the responsible growth of Minnesota’s cannabis industry.

True North Analytical said its testing serves licensed cannabis and hemp producers, manufacturers, and retailers. The Roseville facility is open Monday through Friday, according to the company’s website.