INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION:
With the passage of the 2018 Federal Farm Bill and updates to the California Industrial Hemp Law that went into effect on January 1, 2019, several regulatory changes concerning industrial hemp cultivation and transport have recently occurred.
The changes at the Federal level DO NOT allow hemp to be cultivated without restriction; it does allow industrial hemp to be cultivated if requirements laid out by that particular state are met, and that state’s program is in accordance with Federal law. In other words, hemp cultivation is now allowed in California, if and only if, the state laws and regulations governing industrial hemp cultivation are met.
Regulations are currently being developed at the statewide level and are anticipated to take effect in late spring 2019. Once those regulations are in effect, the County Department of Agriculture / Weights & Measures will be able to accept applications along with the designated annual fee for commercial industrial hemp cultivation, but that process is not currently available. For additional information, please review the County Department's website: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Agriculture-Weights-and-Measures/Industrial-Hemp.aspx
