Pursuant to the 2018 Federal Farm Bill, hemp cultivation became legal for states with regulatory structures that meet the guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as have an approved State Plan. USDA’s Final Rule for hemp production became effective on March 22, 2021. In late December 2021, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced USDA formally approved California’s State Plan for industrial hemp in accordance with the USDA’s Final Rule, effective on January 1, 2022. Changes to CDFA’s current regulations will be needed in order to align with the State Plan and a new rulemaking process is expected to be announced by CDFA in the coming weeks. To stay up to date on California’s Industrial Hemp Program, see here. For more information, please contact RCRC Policy Advocates Leigh Kammerich or Sarah Dukett.
