How to Read a Hemp COA: A Plain-English Guide to Understanding CBD Lab Reports and Test Results
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
At Piedmont Green Dispensary, we know that understanding a Hemp Certificate of Analysis (COA) is key to trusting the products we grow and sell. As a USDA-licensed and NCDA-licensed hemp farm right here in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, we handle every step from planting to processing to testing. We don’t just grow hemp — we stand behind every batch with transparent lab results you can access anytime through our resources. We want you to feel confident about what you’re putting in your body, and that starts with knowing exactly what’s in your hemp products.
What Is a Hemp COA and Why Does It Matter?
A Hemp Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is a detailed lab report that breaks down what’s inside a hemp product. It shows the levels of cannabinoids like CBD and THC, and it also reports on any contaminants that might be present. For us at Piedmont Green, the COA isn’t just paperwork — it’s a promise. We require third-party testing from ISO 17025-accredited labs, which means these labs meet the highest standards for accuracy and reliability. Even though we grow and process our own hemp, we don’t test in-house because independent verification is the only way to guarantee unbiased results.
We don’t just test because regulations say we have to — we test because you deserve to know exactly what’s in every product you buy from us. That’s why transparency isn’t optional here; it’s how we farm and how we build trust with our neighbors in Kannapolis, Charlotte, and beyond.
How to Read the Cannabinoid Profile Section
When we look at the cannabinoid profile on a COA, we focus on a few key numbers that tell us about potency and effects. First up is the CBD percentage — this tells us how much cannabidiol is in the product, which is the cannabinoid many of our customers seek for their wellness routines. You can explore our CBD products to see the range we offer. Then there’s THCa, the acidic precursor to THC. THCa itself isn’t psychoactive, but when heated, it converts to THC. When you look at our THCa flower, you’ll see a THCa percentage listed — this is the raw, unactivated form of THC found in the plant before heat is applied.
Delta-9 THC is the cannabinoid responsible for psychoactive effects, and federal law limits hemp products to less than 0.3% of this compound. We always check that our products stay well below this threshold. To understand total THC, we use a simple formula: (THCa × 0.877) + delta-9 THC. This calculation accounts for the conversion of THCa to THC, giving us the true psychoactive potential of the product.
We also pay attention to minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBN. Elevated CBN can indicate product age or degradation, so we look for freshness and quality before anything reaches our shelves. This is how we read these numbers ourselves — carefully and with your safety and satisfaction in mind — before we offer any product to our community.
Understanding Contaminant Testing Results
Safety is non-negotiable for us. Every product we sell in Kannapolis and Charlotte has passed rigorous contaminant testing panels. The heavy metals panel checks for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. When you see “ND” or Not Detected on a COA, that means the lab found no trace of these harmful metals — exactly what we want to see.
Because hemp is a bioaccumulator, it can absorb pesticides from the soil. That’s why pesticide residue testing is critical. We only offer products that have passed these tests with flying colors. Microbial testing is another must-have, screening for mold, yeast, E. coli, and Salmonella. These tests can be pass/fail or provide quantitative results, but either way, we won’t sell anything that doesn’t meet strict safety standards.
How to Verify a COA Is Authentic
We’ve encountered fake COAs in this industry, so we want you to know exactly what to look for. First, check that the batch number on the product label matches the batch number on the COA. This ensures the report corresponds to the exact product you’re buying. Next, look at the test date — a current COA means recent testing, which is important for accuracy.
Many of our products include QR codes that link directly to their lab reports, making verification easy. You can also independently verify a lab’s ISO 17025 accreditation by visiting the accrediting body’s website. Watch out for red flags like round numbers that seem too perfect, missing batch IDs, or labs without proper accreditation. We do all these checks ourselves and encourage you to do the same — it’s part of being an informed customer.
How We Approach Lab Testing at Piedmont Green
Our USDA and NCDA licenses require us to submit hemp for pre-harvest testing — it’s built into our compliance process from the ground up. We send every sample to third-party ISO 17025-accredited labs; we don’t cut corners with in-house testing. This ensures the results are impartial and trustworthy. If you want to see exactly how we verify each harvest from field to shelf, we walk through every stage in our step-by-step testing process.
We match every product on our shelves to its batch COA, and you can always review our approach online. You can find the specific COA for every product we grow directly on its individual product page — no need to search for it separately. Transparency isn’t a marketing strategy for us — it’s how we farm. We want you to know exactly what you’re getting because we’re your neighbors, your farmers, and your partners in wellness.
Using COA Knowledge to Make Smarter Purchase Decisions
Before you buy hemp products, here are three questions we want you to ask us:
- Can I see the COA for this specific batch?
- Has this product been tested by an ISO 17025-accredited lab?
- Are the cannabinoid levels and contaminant results within safe and legal limits?
Whether you’re browsing our CBD products or exploring other cannabinoids, the COA tells you exactly what percentage of each compound is present. Our resources explain how we test and what we require from our labs — and when you’re ready to look up a specific product, you’ll find its COA right on the product page itself. If you ever want to talk through the details or have questions, please contact us or visit us in Kannapolis or Charlotte. We’re farmers first. We grow this hemp, we test it, and we stand behind every product on our shelves. If you ever have questions about a COA, come find us — we’re here for our North Carolina community.
