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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. On October 2, 2020, CDFA announced modifications to the proposed appellations regulations, marking the official start of a second public comment period provided under California Law. All interested parties were encouraged to provide comments on the modifications to the proposed regulations by October 19, 2020. The second public comment period for the proposed regulations for cannabis appellations is 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 goods and local businesses, prevent the misrepresentation of a cannabis good’s origin, and support consumer confidence about a cannabis good’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. 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, city of origin, or city and county of origin.

Regulatory Materials for Cannabis Appellations in California

• Modified Proposed Regulations
• Modified Proposed Regulations
• Addendum to the Initial Statement of Reasons
• 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