(a) (1) Except for an established agricultural research institution subject to Section 81004.5 or a hemp breeder subject to Section 81004, and before cultivation, a grower of industrial hemp shall register with the commissioner of the county in which the grower intends to engage in industrial hemp cultivation.

(2) The application shall include all of the following:

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(A) The name, physical address, and mailing address of the applicant.

(B) The legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and map of the land area on which the applicant plans to engage in industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both.

(C) The approved cultivar to be grown, including the state or country of origin.

(3) The application shall be accompanied by a registration fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.

(4) A registration issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for one year, after which the registrant shall renew the registration and pay an accompanying renewal fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.

(b) If the commissioner determines that the requirements for registration pursuant to this division are met and that the applicant is eligible to participate in the industrial hemp program, in accordance with Sections 81012 to 81014, inclusive, the commissioner shall issue a registration to the applicant.

(c) A registrant that wishes to change or alter the land area on which the registrant conducts industrial hemp cultivation or storage, or both, shall, before any alteration or change, submit to the commissioner an updated registration with the legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and map specifying the proposed land change or alteration. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration and the commissioner determines that the requirements pursuant to this division are met, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that it may cultivate industrial hemp on the changed or altered land area.

(d) A registrant that wishes to change the cultivar grown shall submit to the commissioner the name of the new, approved cultivar to be grown. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration and the commissioner determines that the requirements pursuant to this division are met, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that it may cultivate the new cultivar.

(e) (1) The commissioner shall transmit information collected under this section to the department no more than 10 business days after the date on which it is collected or the date of a change in registration status occurred.

(2) The department shall submit the information described in paragraph (a) of Section 990.70 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations to the United States Department of Agriculture no more than 30 business days after the date on which it is collected or the date of a change in registration status occurred.

(f) The department and the commissioner shall retain information collected under this section for at least three years after collecting or receiving it.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 485, Sec. 5. (SB 292) Effective January 1, 2022.)