California Industrial Hemp Registration is Now Open

On April 30, 2019, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) made available registration applications to cultivate industrial hemp. The CDFA’s approved regulations require, among other things, a prospective cultivator to register with the county agricultural commissioner where the cultivator is located and pay a $900 registration fee.

However, even though applications are now live, several counties throughout California still restrict or prohibit the cultivation of hemp. The CDFA has identified the following counties as restricting hemp cultivation: Amador, Calaveras, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.

It remains unclear how these current regulations will be affected by the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). Under the 2018 Farm Bill, the CDFA is required to submit its hemp-production plan to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval but as of the date of this post the USDA has not issued regulations relating to that review. Additionally, it is unclear how this program will operate in the interim under the 2014 Farm Bill. We will continue to watch as this program develops alongside the USDA’s 2018 Farm Bill program.

Hemp Research Expansion in Pennsylvania

Seth Goldberg
Seth A. Goldberg

On December 7, 2017, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfe expanded the Commonwealth’s Hemp Research Pilot Program to allow up to 100 licensed growers and more than 5,000 acres to be grown under the Hemp Research Pilot Program in 2018. The expansion from 30 licensed growers and just 50 acres allowed in 2017, reflects the strong success of the program in it’s inaugural year.

Although a member of the family of cannabis sativa that includes marijuana, hemp does not contain levels of THC that produce psychoactive effects, so it is regulated differently than marijuana. Whereas growing, processing, distributing and consuming marijuana are still federally prohibited under the Controlled Substances Act, industrial hemp has seen a revival around the U.S. because its growth, processing and distribution for research purposes is permitted under the 2014 Federal Farm Bill.

Importantly, the expansion of Pennsylvania’s industrial hemp program, and the industrial hemp programs in other states that traditionally raised large tobacco crops, may be helpful to local economies that have been impacted by declines in tobacco growth.

There are more than 25,000 products and/or uses derived from industrial hemp. Research under the PA program includes, among other things, planting methods, such as seed variety trials, fiber or seed yields, optimum fertility levels, pest management; harvesting techniques or product marketing options; or conservation, remediation or biofuel.

Those interested in participating in 2018 must apply for a permit by January 19, 2018 and meet the requirements of the program.  More information can be found at the PA Dept. of Agriculture’s website: 

 

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The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and are not to be construed as legal advice.

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