81006
. (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.