CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing , a division of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), ensures public safety and environmental protection by licensing and regulating commercial cannabis cultivators in California. CalCannabis also manages the state's track-and-trace system, which tracks all commercial cannabis and cannabis products—from cultivation to sale. CalCannabis is organized into two branches: Licensing Branch and Compliance and Enforcement Branch.

CalCannabis Newsfeed

EMAIL ALERT: CDFA’s Disaster-Relief Measures for Licensed Commercial Cannabis Farmers: What You Need to Know

The year 2020 has brought us more than 8,000 fires that have burned millions of acres across the state, and we’re still in the thick of fire season. More than 18,000 firefighters continue to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, battling fires throughout California, and many of these fires are wreaking havoc among our community of licensed commercial cannabis farmers.

In recent years, the state’s most devastating wildfires have struck in September and October, and with warm and dry weather conditions persisting across the state, we want to ensure our licensees are aware of the resources available to them in the event they face a fire-related emergency. We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked wildfire questions we’ve received this year, and our responses are shared below for your reference.

If you have additional questions or concerns not addressed below, please contact us directly by sending an email to calcannabis@cdfa.ca.gov or calling us at 1-833-CALGROW (1-833-225-4769). We are here to help you navigate through these extenuating circumstances.

Q: I need to file a disaster-relief request. How should I do that?

A: We encourage cannabis cultivation licensees to provide the following information to us as soon as possible by sending an email to calcannabis@cdfa.ca.gov with "Disaster-Relief Request" in the subject line; if you’re unable to access your email account, please call us at 1-833-CALGROW (1-833-225-4769):

Business name(s)

License number(s)

Name of the Designated Responsible Party (DRP) and the DRP’s contact information

An explanation as to why you’re requesting disaster relief and a list of the specific regulations you need relief from; please include photographs, if available

How long you need the disaster-relief for

If relief includes moving cannabis plants or products off the licensed premises, please see steps 1 through 4 in the following Q&A

A: If you moved your cannabis and/or nonmanufactured cannabis products to another location to prevent loss, theft, or degradation due to a disaster, that is allowable without prior approval from CDFA if the following steps are taken:

The cannabis and/or nonmanufactured cannabis products were moved to a secure location where access is restricted to the licensee and the licensee’s employees and contractors. Within 24 hours of moving the cannabis, the licensee notifies CDFA in writing that the cannabis has been moved and requests relief from complying with specific licensing requirements; this notice may be sent by email to calcannabis@cdfa.ca.gov. Upon request, the licensee allows CDFA staff to access and inspect the location where the cannabis has been moved. Within 10 days of moving the cannabis, the licensee notifies CDFA in writing how long and why the temporary relief will be needed and specifies which licensing requirements relief is needed for; this more in-depth explanatory notice should include all the information requested in the Q&A above (see the bulleted list) and may be sent by email to calcannabis@cdfa.ca.gov with "Disaster-Relief Request" in the subject line.

For more information, please review the California Code of Regulations (CCR) on cannabis cultivation, section 8207.

Q: What information should be provided to CDFA in our 24-hour notice?

A: Provide your licensed business name(s), license number(s), the name of the Designated Responsible Party (DRP) and the DRP’s contact information, and, if applicable, the location of the cannabis and/or cannabis products that have been moved. Additional information may be needed depending on each farmer’s situation. As outlined above, after the 24-hour notice has been submitted, a more detailed disaster-relief request must be submitted to CDFA within 10 days.