Senate Bill 67 Would Mandate Terroir-Driven Cannabis Appellations
July 6, 2020
by Omar Figueroa
Legislation is now pending in California which would limit the establishment of appellations of origin to cannabis “planted in the ground, in open air, with no artificial light during the flowering stage of cultivation until harvest.” Senate Bill 67 would also expand geographical designations from county of origin designations only to also include city of origin designations. The bill, introduced by state representatives Senator Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Jim Wood, appears to have been subjected to the gut and amend process, as the previous contents dealt with unrelated provisions pertaining to temporary licenses. The bill would fine-tune the Cannabis Appellations Program, whose proposed regulations have recently been promulgated by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. We explained the proposed cannabis appellation regulations in detail in this recent blog post.
Senate Bill 67 would amend Section 26063 of the Health and Safety Code by adding a new provision forbidding the establishment of appellations unless the cannabis produced is an expression of the place where it is grown:
An appellation of origin shall not be established unless the cannabis produced is planted in the ground, in open air, with no artificial light during the flowering stage of cultivation until harvest.
This proposed change is in harmony with the numerous public comments from numerous organizations, including the Origins Council, the International Cannabis Bar Association, and the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa, advocating terroir-based appellations.
Senate Bill 67 is scheduled to be heard before the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at 1 p.m., and will be livestreamed on the Assembly’s web site here.
Please stay tuned to our blog for more information regarding the proposed appellations regulations.
This information is provided as a public educational service and is not intended as legal advice. For specific questions regarding CDFA’s Cannabis Appellations Program or other topics related to cannabis or hemp, please contact the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa at info@omarfigueroa.com or 707-829-0215 to schedule a confidential legal consultation.