Division 24. Industrial Hemp of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 24.
For purposes of this division, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(a) "Board" means the Industrial Hemp Advisory Board.
(b) "Commissioner" means the county agricultural commissioner.
(c) "Established agricultural research institution" means a public
or private institution or organization that maintains land for
agricultural research, including colleges, universities, agricultural
research centers, and conservation research centers.
(d) "Industrial hemp" has the same meaning as that term is defined
in Section 11018.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
(e) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture.
(f) "Seed breeder" means an individual or public or private
institution or organization that is registered with the commissioner
to develop seed cultivars intended for sale or research.
(g) "Seed cultivar" means a variety of industrial hemp.
(h) "Seed development plan" means a strategy devised by a seed
breeder, or applicant seed breeder, detailing his or her planned
approach to growing and developing a new seed cultivar for industrial
hemp.
(a) There is in the department an Industrial Hemp Advisory
Board. The board shall consist of 11 members, appointed by the
secretary as follows:
(1) Three of the board members shall be growers of industrial hemp
that are registered pursuant to the provisions of this division. In
the case of forming the initial board, and if the registration
program established pursuant to this division has not yet been
implemented, these board members shall be those who intend to
register as growers of industrial hemp. A member of the board who is
a grower of industrial hemp, or who intends to register as a grower
of industrial hemp, shall be a representative of at least one of the
following functions:
(A) Seed production.
(B) Seed condition.
(C) Marketing.
(D) Seed utilization.
(2) Two of the board members shall be members of an established
agricultural research institution.
(3) One member of the board shall be a representative as provided
by the California State Sheriffs' Association and approved by the
secretary.
(4) One member of the board shall be a county agricultural
commissioner.
(5) One member of the board shall be a representative of the Hemp
Industries Association or its successor industry association.
(6) One member of the board shall be a representative of
industrial hemp product processors or manufacturers.
(7) One member of the board shall be a representative of
businesses that sell industrial hemp products.
(8) One member of the board shall be a member of the public.
(b) It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative
determination, that growers and representatives of industrial hemp
product manufacturers and businesses appointed to the board pursuant
to this division are intended to represent and further the interest
of a particular agricultural industry, and that the representation
and furtherance is intended to serve the public interest.
Accordingly, the Legislature finds that persons who are appointed to
the board shall be subject to the conflict-of-interest provisions
described in Section 87103 of the Government Code.
(c) The term of office for a member of the board is three years.
If a vacancy exists, the secretary shall, consistent with the
membership requirements described in subdivision (a), appoint a
replacement member to the board for the duration of the term.
(d) A member of the board shall not receive a salary but may be
reimbursed by the department for attendance at meetings and other
board activities authorized by the board and approved by the
secretary.
(e) The board shall advise the secretary and may make
recommendations on all matters pertaining to this division,
including, but not limited to, industrial hemp seed law and
regulations, enforcement, annual budgets required to accomplish the
purposes of this division, and the setting of an appropriate
assessment rate necessary for the administration of this division.
(f) The board shall annually elect a chair from its membership
and, from time to time, other officers as it deems necessary.
(g) The board shall meet at the call of its chair or the
secretary, or at the request of any four members of the board. The
board shall meet at least once a year to review budget proposals and
fiscal matters related to the proposals.
(a) Except when grown by an established agricultural
research institution or by a registered seed breeder developing a new
California seed cultivar, industrial hemp shall only be grown if it
is on the list of approved seed cultivars.
(b) The list of approved seed cultivars shall include all of the
following:
(1) Industrial hemp seed cultivars that have been certified on or
before January 1, 2013, by member organizations of the Association of
Official Seed Certifying Agencies, including, but not limited to,
the Canadian Seed Growers' Association.
(2) Industrial hemp seed cultivars that have been certified on or
before January 1, 2013, by the Organization of Economic Cooperation
and Development.
(3) California varieties of industrial hemp seed cultivars that
have been certified by a seed-certifying agency pursuant to Article
6.5 (commencing with Section 52401) of Chapter 2 of Division 18.
(c) Upon recommendation by the board or the department, the
secretary may update the list of approved seed cultivars by adding,
amending, or removing seed cultivars.
(1) The adoption, amendment, or repeal of the list of approved
seed cultivars, and the adoption of a methodology and procedure to
add, amend, or remove a seed cultivar from the list of approved seed
cultivars, pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the
requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code).
(2) The department, in consultation with the board, shall hold at
least one public hearing with public comment to determine the
methodology and procedure by which a seed cultivar is added, amended,
or removed from the list of approved seed cultivars.
(3) The department shall finalize the methodology and procedure to
add, amend, or remove a seed cultivar from the list of approved seed
cultivars and send the methodology and procedure to the Office of
Administrative Law. The Office of Administrative Law shall file the
methodology and procedure promptly with the Secretary of State
without further review pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section
11349) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code. The methodology and procedure shall do all of the
following:
(A) Indicate that the methodology and procedure are adopted
pursuant to this division.
(B) State that the methodology and procedure are being transmitted
for filing.
(C) Request that the Office of Administrative Law publish a notice
of the filing of the methodology and procedure and print an
appropriate reference in Title 3 of the California Code of
Regulations.
(d) The department, in consultation with the board, may determine
the manner in which the public is given notice of the list of
approved seed cultivars, and any addition, amendment, or removal from
that list.
(a) Except for an established agricultural research
institution, and before cultivation, a grower of industrial hemp for
commercial purposes shall register with the commissioner of the
county in which the grower intends to engage in industrial hemp
cultivation.
(1) The application shall include all of the following:
(A) The name, physical address, and mailing address of the
applicant.
(B) The legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates,
and map of the land area on which the applicant plans to engage in
industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both.
(C) The approved seed cultivar to be grown and whether the seed
cultivar will be grown for its grain or fiber, or as a dual purpose
crop.
(2) (A) The application shall be accompanied by a registration
fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.
(B) A registration issued pursuant to this section shall be valid
for two years, after which the registrant shall renew his or her
registration and pay an accompanying renewal fee, as determined
pursuant to Section 81005.
(b) If the commissioner determines that the requirements for
registration pursuant to this division are met, the commissioner
shall issue a registration to the applicant.
(c) A registrant that wishes to alter the land area on which the
registrant conducts industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both,
shall, before altering the area, submit to the commissioner an
updated legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and
map specifying the proposed alteration. Once the commissioner has
received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall
notify the registrant that it may cultivate industrial hemp on the
altered land area.
(d) A registrant that wishes to change the seed cultivar grown
shall submit to the commissioner the name of the new, approved seed
cultivar to be grown. Once the commissioner has received the change
to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant
that it may cultivate the new seed cultivar.
(e) The commissioner shall transmit information collected under
this section to the department.
(a) Except when grown by an established agricultural
research institution, and before cultivation, a seed breeder shall
register with the commissioner of the county in which the seed
breeder intends to engage in industrial hemp cultivation.
(1) The application shall include all of the following:
(A) The name, physical address, and mailing address of the
applicant.
(B) The legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates,
and map of the land area on which the applicant plans to engage in
industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both.
(C) The approved seed cultivar to be grown and whether the seed
cultivar will be grown for its grain or fiber, as a dual purpose
crop, or for seed production.
(D) If an applicant intends to develop a new California seed
cultivar to be certified by a seed-certifying agency, the applicant
shall include all of the following:
(i) The name of the seed-certifying agency that will be conducting
the certification.
(ii) The industrial hemp varieties that will be used in the
development of the new California seed cultivar.
(iii) A seed development plan specifying how the listed industrial
hemp varieties will be used in the development of the new seed
cultivar, measures that will be taken to prevent the unlawful use of
industrial hemp or seed cultivars under this division, and a
procedure for the maintenance of records documenting the development
of the new seed cultivar.
(2) (A) The application shall be accompanied by a registration
fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.
(B) A registration issued pursuant to this section shall be valid
for two years, after which the registrant shall renew its
registration and pay an accompanying renewal fee, as determined
pursuant to Section 81005.
(b) If the commissioner determines that the requirements for
registration pursuant to this division are met, the commissioner
shall issue a seed breeder registration to the applicant.
(c) A registrant that wishes to alter the land area on which the
registrant conducts industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both,
shall, before altering the area, submit to the commissioner an
updated legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and
map specifying the proposed alteration. Once the commissioner has
received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall
notify the registrant that it may cultivate industrial hemp on the
altered land area.
(d) A registrant that wishes to change the seed cultivar grown
shall submit to the commissioner the name of the new, approved seed
cultivar to be grown. Once the commissioner has received the change
to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant
that it may cultivate the new seed cultivar.
(e) A registrant developing a new California seed cultivar who
wishes to change any provision of the seed development plan shall
submit to the commissioner the revised seed development plan. Once
the commissioner has received the change to the registration, the
commissioner shall notify the registrant that he or she may cultivate
under the revised seed development plan.
(f) All records pertaining to the seed development plan shall be
kept and maintained by the seed breeder and be available upon request
by the commissioner, a law enforcement agency, or a seed certifying
agent.
(g) The commissioner shall transmit information collected under
this section to the department.
(a) The department shall establish a registration fee and
appropriate renewal fee to be paid by growers of industrial hemp for
commercial purposes and seed breeders, not including an established
agricultural research institution, to cover the actual costs of
implementing, administering, and enforcing the provisions of this
division.
(b) Fees collected by the commissioners upon registration or
renewal pursuant to Section 81003 or 81004 shall be forwarded,
according to procedures set by the department, to the department for
deposit into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund to be used
for the administration and enforcement of this division.
(a) (1) Except when grown by an established agricultural
research institution or a registered seed breeder, industrial hemp
shall be grown only as a densely planted fiber or oilseed crop, or
both, in acreages of not less than five acres at the same time, and
no portion of an acreage of industrial hemp shall include plots of
less than one contiguous acre.
(2) Registered seed breeders, for purposes of seed production,
shall only grow industrial hemp as a densely planted crop in acreages
of not less than two acres at the same time, and no portion of the
acreage of industrial hemp shall include plots of less than one
contiguous acre.
(3) Registered seed breeders, for purposes of developing a new
California seed cultivar, shall grow industrial hemp as densely as
possible in dedicated acreage of not less than one acre and in
accordance with the seed development plan. The entire area of the
dedicated acreage is not required to be used for the cultivation of
the particular seed cultivar.
(b) Ornamental and clandestine cultivation of industrial hemp is
prohibited. All plots shall have adequate signage indicating they are
industrial hemp.
(c) Pruning and tending of individual industrial hemp plants is
prohibited, except when grown by an established agricultural research
institution or when the action is necessary to perform the
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing described in this section.
(d) Culling of industrial hemp is prohibited, except when grown by
an established agricultural research institution, when the action is
necessary to perform the THC testing described in this section, or
for purposes of seed production and development by a registered seed
breeder.
(e) Industrial hemp shall include products imported under the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2013) of the United
States International Trade Commission, including, but not limited to,
hemp seed, per subheading 1207.99.03, hemp oil, per subheading
1515.90.80, oilcake, per subheading 2306.90.01, true hemp, per
heading 5302, true hemp yarn, per subheading 5308.20.00, and woven
fabrics of true hemp fibers, per subheading 5311.00.40.
(f) Except when industrial hemp is grown by an established
agricultural research institution, a registrant that grows industrial
hemp under this section shall, before the harvest of each crop and
as provided below, obtain a laboratory test report indicating the THC
levels of a random sampling of the dried flowering tops of the
industrial hemp grown.
(1) Sampling shall occur as soon as practicable when the THC
content of the leaves surrounding the seeds is at its peak and shall
commence as the seeds begin to mature, when the first seeds of
approximately 50 percent of the plants are resistant to compression.
(2) The entire fruit-bearing part of the plant including the seeds
shall be used as a sample. The sample cut shall be made directly
underneath the inflorescence found in the top one-third of the plant.
(3) The sample collected for THC testing shall be accompanied by
the following documentation:
(A) The registrant's proof of registration.
(B) Seed certification documentation for the seed cultivar used.
(C) The THC testing report for each certified seed cultivar used.
(4) The laboratory test report shall be issued by a laboratory
registered with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, shall
state the percentage content of THC, shall indicate the date and
location of samples taken, and shall state the Global Positioning
System coordinates and total acreage of the crop. If the laboratory
test report indicates a percentage content of THC that is equal to or
less than three-tenths of 1 percent, the words "PASSED AS CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRIAL HEMP" shall appear at or near the top of the laboratory
test report. If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage
content of THC that is greater than three-tenths of 1 percent, the
words "FAILED AS CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIAL HEMP" shall appear at or near
the top of the laboratory test report.
(5) If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage content
of THC that is equal to or less than three-tenths of 1 percent, the
laboratory shall provide the person who requested the testing not
less than 10 original copies signed by an employee authorized by the
laboratory and shall retain one or more original copies of the
laboratory test report for a minimum of two years from its date of
sampling.
(6) If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage content
of THC that is greater than three-tenths of 1 percent and does not
exceed 1 percent, the registrant that grows industrial hemp shall
submit additional samples for testing of the industrial hemp grown.
(7) A registrant that grows industrial hemp shall destroy the
industrial hemp grown upon receipt of a first laboratory test report
indicating a percentage content of THC that exceeds 1 percent or a
second laboratory test report pursuant to paragraph (6) indicating a
percentage content of THC that exceeds three-tenths of 1 percent but
is less than 1 percent. If the percentage content of THC exceeds 1
percent, the destruction shall take place within 48 hours after
receipt of the laboratory test report. If the percentage content of
THC in the second laboratory test report exceeds three-tenths of 1
percent but is less than 1 percent, the destruction shall take place
as soon as practicable, but no later than 45 days after receipt of
the second test report.
(8) A registrant that intends to grow industrial hemp and who
complies with this section shall not be prosecuted for the
cultivation or possession of marijuana as a result of a laboratory
test report that indicates a percentage content of THC that is
greater than three-tenths of 1 percent but does not exceed 1 percent.
(9) Established agricultural research institutions shall be
permitted to cultivate or possess industrial hemp with a laboratory
test report that indicates a percentage content of THC that is
greater than three-tenths of 1 percent if that cultivation or
possession contributes to the development of types of industrial hemp
that will comply with the three-tenths of 1 percent THC limit
established in this division.
(10) Except for an established agricultural research institution,
a registrant that grows industrial hemp shall retain an original
signed copy of the laboratory test report for two years from its date
of sampling, make an original signed copy of the laboratory test
report available to the department, the commissioner, or law
enforcement officials or their designees upon request, and shall
provide an original copy of the laboratory test report to each person
purchasing, transporting, or otherwise obtaining from the registrant
that grows industrial hemp the fiber, oil, cake, or seed, or any
component of the seed, of the plant.
(g) If, in the Attorney General's opinion issued pursuant to
Section 8 of the act that added this division, it is determined that
the provisions of this section are not sufficient to comply with
federal law, the department, in consultation with the board, shall
establish procedures for this section that meet the requirements of
federal law.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or as necessary to
perform testing pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 81006, the
possession, outside of a field of lawful cultivation, of resin,
flowering tops, or leaves that have been removed from the hemp plant
is prohibited.
(b) The presence of a de minimis amount, or insignificant number,
of hemp leaves or flowering tops in hemp bales that result from the
normal and appropriate processing of industrial hemp shall not
constitute possession of marijuana.
(a) Not later than January 1, 2019, or five years after the
provisions of this division are authorized under federal law,
whichever is later, the Attorney General shall report to the Assembly
and Senate Committees on Agriculture and the Assembly and Senate
Committees on Public Safety the reported incidents, if any, of the
following:
(1) A field of industrial hemp being used to disguise marijuana
cultivation.
(2) Claims in a court hearing by persons other than those exempted
in subdivision (f) of Section 81006 that marijuana is industrial
hemp.
(b) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(c) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on January 1, 2023, or four years after the date
that the report is due, whichever is later.
Not later than January 1, 2019, or five years after the
provisions of this division are authorized under federal law,
whichever is later, the board, in consultation with the Hemp
Industries Association, or its successor industry association, shall
report the following to the Assembly and Senate Committees on
Agriculture and the Assembly and Senate Committees on Public Safety:
(a) The economic impacts of industrial hemp cultivation,
processing, and product manufacturing in California.
(b) The economic impacts of industrial hemp cultivation,
processing, and product manufacturing in other states that may have
permitted industrial hemp cultivation.
This division shall not become operative unless authorized
under federal law.