TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: County Counsel
MEETING DATE: February 26, 2019
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Matthew Kiedrowski
PHONE:
234-6885
ITEM TYPE: Regular Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: 30 minutes
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Discussion and Possible Action Including Adoption of Urgency Ordinance Establishing a Temporary Moratorium on the Cultivation of Industrial Hemp Within the Unincorporated Areas of Mendocino County Pending the Study and Consideration of Land Use and Other Regulations Pertaining to Such Cultivation
(Sponsor: County Counsel)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Adopt Urgency Ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on the cultivation of industrial hemp within the unincorporated areas of Mendocino County pending the study and consideration of land use and other regulations pertaining to such cultivation; and authorize Chair to sign same.
En
End
PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
On February 5, 2019, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare an Ordinance establishing a moratorium on industrial hemp cultivation.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
The purpose of this urgency ordinance is to establish a temporary moratorium on the cultivation of industrial hemp for commercial purposes or by "Established Agricultural Research Institutions," as defined by California Food and Agricultural Code Section 81000(c), while County staff determines the impact of such unregulated cultivation and reasonable regulations to mitigate such impacts.
On December 20, 2018, President Trump signed H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) into law allowing hemp cultivation more broadly than the previously allowed pilot programs for studying market interest in hemp-derived products. The 2018 Farm Bill allows the transfer of hemp-derived products across state lines for commercial or other purposes. It also puts no restrictions on the sale, transport, or possession of hemp-derived products, so long as those it...
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