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Cannabis Appellations Program

On February 20, 2020, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released the proposed regulations for the appellations of origin for cannabis. The release of these regulations marked the official start of a public comment period provided under California law. All interested parties were encouraged to provide comments about the proposed regulations by May 6, 2020. The public comment period for the proposed regulations for cannabis appellations has now closed.

An appellation of origin is a protected designation that identifies the geographical origin of a product and how that product was produced. CDFA’s Cannabis Appellations Program will promote regional cannabis products and local businesses, prevent the misrepresentation of a cannabis product’s origin, and support consumer confidence about a cannabis product’s origin and characteristics.

Per Business and Professions Code Section 26063(b), CDFA is required to develop the process by which state-licensed cannabis cultivators may establish appellations of origin by January 1, 2021. CDFA proposes amendments to Chapter 1, and adoption of Chapter 2, within Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations, to develop the process for establishing cannabis appellations of origin and provide additional clarification on the use of county of origin.

Regulatory Materials for Cannabis Appellations in California

• Proposed Regulations
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Initial Statement of Reasons

September 2018 Statewide Public Workshop Materials

To gain stakeholder feedback and input, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) hosted six public outreach sessions across the state in the fall of 2018, and CDFA has continued to collaborate with experts and industry associations as the Cannabis Appellations Program has developed.

• CalCannabis Appellations Project Fact Sheet
• Frequently Asked Questions About the CalCannabis Appellations Project
• Workshop Posters
• Public Workshop Video
• A Summary of Public Comments

Sign Up for Cannabis Appellations Program Updates