b'CANNABIS CHRONICLESGETTINGCHARLES PICKbegan his career in forage seed in 1990. Serving as vice-president turf operations for the Pickseed Companies Groupa company co-founded by his grandfather HANDS INTOand run by his father and unclehis interests quickly grew into the biotech space. He worked for BASF for 11 years leading their genomics lab DNA LandMarks, eventually spurring him to found his own biotech consulting firm and then work in one of the countrys newest spacescannabis.THE HEMPAs senior vice-president science and innovation for Aurora Cannabis, hes now helping lead one of the worlds top cannabis companies as it rapidly expands and prepares to mark three years since recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada.INDUSTRY A friend of mine said, You know, your knowledge would really be applicable to the cannabis industry. It appeals to the ag science background that I have, because to a certain extent can-nabis has been totally untouched by modern agricultural prac-tices. Its almost like discovering a new species because so many Some of the Canadian seed sectorsimprovements can be made, says Pick.The irony of him starting his career in forage and ending up in most well-known names are popping upcannabis is not lost on Pick and his family.in the cannabis realm. Heres why thisCannabis is nothing I ever expected to work in. My dad likes crop represents new opportunities forto tell people that at least Im still in the grass business.Dont let the sense of humor fool you, though. Pick is serious these industry stalwarts.Marc Zienkiewicz about cannabis. Aurora is Canadas top medical cannabis plat-form in terms of revenue. Its also one of the leading international cannabis platforms. Headquartered in Edmonton, it has licensed production facilities across Canada and Europe, and serves patients and consumers worldwide.With recreational cannabis increasingly becoming more socially acceptable in Canada and beyond, Pick says the story of cannabis is only in its infancy.Three years ago, when Canada was preparing to legalize rec-reational cannabis, questions abounded among market analysts 52/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2021'