SB 852 Summary

• Establishes the Industrial Hemp Growers Act creating a state program for growing industrial hemp, requiring growers to register with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and comply with federal standards under 7 USC 1639o-1639s

• Requires growers to submit applications with personal information, property details with GPS coordinates, maps, and criminal history reports; initial registration expires November 30 of grant year, subsequent registrations valid for one year with $1,250 registration fee

• Mandates sampling and testing of industrial hemp crops for THC content before harvest using approved testing facilities; crops exceeding 0.3% total delta-9-THC must be destroyed within 15 days using specified methods (plowing, mulching, burning, etc.)

• Establishes penalties including corrective action plans for negligent violations, registration suspension for up to 60 days for intentional violations, permanent revocation with minimum 5-year bar from program, and administrative fines ranging from $100-$2,000 plus investigation costs

• Creates Industrial Hemp Fund to collect registration fees and site modification fees ($50 per location change), with revenues used to establish and enforce the program