Approved by Governor September 30, 2018. Filed with Secretary of State on September 30, 2018.
We want to believe this is going to create progress for Hemp farming in Calif. According to Bruce Perlowin of Hemp Inc. Hemp Inc applauds California’s commitment to agriculture, industrial hemp specifically, with the passing of SB 1409. The new bill, which will go into effect on January 1, 2019, removes the previous requirement that industrial hemp seed cultivators be certified on or before January 1, 2013, finally opening the door for new cultivators to enter the market.
This will “unleash a dramatic expansion of hemp farming and hemp businesses” in the nation’s largest state and as a global leader in the industrial hemp industry, with the largest multipurpose industrial hemp processing facility in the western hemisphere, Hemp, Inc. stands to gain an enormous amount of business opportunities in the Golden State. “This Bill will finally allow farmers in California to partake in this lucrative industry on a broad scale and I applaud Governor Jerry Brown for taking the proactive steps necessary to facilitate the growth of California’s industrial hemp industry,” said Hemp, Inc. CEO, Bruce Perlowin.
“The immense opportunity represented by the state’s world-class economy combined with its ideal growing conditions is sure to convince many farmers to switch to hemp. Our new west-coast hemp processing facility in Medford, Oregon, stands to be an excellent resource for all of the new farmers entering the industry as laws continue to evolve. We are also continuing to scout new locations across the country to open additional hemp processing centers.”
Under the bill, “industrial hemp” would no longer be defined in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act as a fiber or oilseed crop. The bill would delete the requirement that industrial hemp be grown as a densely planted fiber or oilseed crop. By modifying the characterization of a crop for which AUMA sets a minimum acreage, the bill would amend AUMA. The bill would also delete the requirement that an application for registration includes information about whether a seed cultivar is being grown for its grain or fiber, or as a dual purpose crop.
Read the full legislation in the Legislative Counsel’s Digest
