Industrial hemp means a crop that is limited to types of the plant Cannabis sativa L. having no more than three-tenths of 1 percent (0.3) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained in the dried flowering tops, whether growing or not; the seeds of the plant; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin produced therefrom. (California Health and Safety Code Section 11018.5)

Kings County allows the cultivation of industrial hemp in the unincorporated areas of the county as allowed by the California Food and Agricultural Code, the California Code of Regulations, and Kings County Hemp Ordinance NO. 696 and NO. 696.1. General information, including registration packets and Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s website.

On October 20, 2020, Kings County enacted Ordinance NO. 696 setting limitations on the cultivation of industrial hemp in the unincorporated areas of the county. The ordinance replaced the previous urgency ordnance and puts into place requirements for Hemp cultivation. On March 7, 2023, Kings County enacted Ordinance NO. 696.1 which established further requirements. Refer to the Ordinance for these requirements; a few of the more notable requirements are as follows,

• Cultivation restricted to General Agricultural Zone Districts (AG-20, AG-40)
• Each parcel permitted for hemp cultivation must be surrounded by a physical barrier such as fencing, an irrigation ditch or similar impediment to access. All access points to the parcel must have the ability to be secured.
• Signage that contains at minimum the words “Industrial Hemp,” “THC no more than 0.3%,” and “No Trespassing” must be posted at the corners, and at all usual points of entry of each parcel permitted for hemp cultivation. If the parcel is adjacent to a public right-of-way, the signage shall be posted at intervals not more than 600 feet. The letters shall be at least five inches in height in colors that contrast sharply with the immediate background and be visible and legible from 25 feet.
• Setback of ½ mile from Sensitive Receptors, which includes schools, daycare facilities, and residential zoned areas.
• Minimum set back of two hundred feet (200’) from the property boundary of any parcel containing non-Hemp, agricultural cultivation not owned by the Applicant.
• Minimum setback of seven hundred feet (700’) from the property boundary of any parcel containing a residence not owned by the Applicant.
• The Applicant shall submit a destruction plan that addresses the destruction, removal and abatement of a non-compliant crop, an abandoned crop, and all Regrowth as part as the initial application for registration and permit.
• The applicant shall submit a bond or other form of security for one hundred percent (100%) of the estimated cost ($200 per acre) to fully abate a crop of hemp that was abandoned or does not meet the requirements for legal harvest.
• No cultivation is allowed on unincorporated land within the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) boundaries. 
• Limits hemp cultivation for research or educational purposes to 1 acre.

 
HEMP GROWER FORMS - Print out application forms for Growers and Breeders on the CDFA website.