Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) A
cultivator shall select and implement tillage and cultivation practices that
maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil
and minimize soil erosion.
(b) A
cultivator shall manage crop nutrients and soil fertility through rotations,
cover crops, intercropping, alley cropping, hedgerows or the application of
plant and animal materials.
(c) A
cultivator shall manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil
organic matter content, biological diversity, nutrient cycling, and microbial
activity in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil,
or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of
prohibited substances. Animal and plant materials include:
(1) Raw animal manure, which shall be
composted unless it is:
(A) Incorporated into
the soil not less than 120 days prior to the harvest of cannabis whose
consumable portion has direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles;
or
(B) Incorporated into the soil
not less than 90 days prior to the harvest of cannabis whose consumable portion
does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil
particles.
(2) Composted
plant and animal materials produced through a process that:
(A) Established an initial C:N ratio of
between 25:1 and 40:1; and
(B)
Maintained a temperature of between 131 °F and 170 °F for three days
using an in-vessel or static aerated pile system; or
(C) Maintained a temperature of between 131
°F and 170 °F for 15 days using a windrow composting system, during
which period, the materials shall be turned a minimum of five
times.
(3) Uncomposted
plant materials.
(4)
Vermicompost.
(d)
Pursuant to the following requirements, a cultivator may manage plant nutrients
and soil fertility to maintain or improve soil organic matter content,
biological diversity, nutrient cycling, and microbial activity in a manner that
does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant
nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited
substances by applying:
(1) A plant nutrient
or soil amendment included on the National List of synthetic substances allowed
for use in organic crop production, pursuant to The National List of Allowed
and Prohibited Substances 7
CFR section 205.601;
(2) A mined substance of low
solubility;
(3) A mined substance
of high solubility provided that the substance is used in compliance with the
conditions established on the National List of nonsynthetic substances
prohibited for use in organic crop production pursuant The National List of
Allowed and Prohibited Substances
7 CFR section
205.602;
(4) Ash obtained from the burning of a plant
or animal material, except as prohibited in paragraph (e) of this section,
provided that the material burned has not been treated or combined with a
prohibited substance or the ash is not included on the National List of
nonsynthetic substances prohibited for use in organic crop production, pursuant
to The National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
7 CFR section
205.602; and
(5) A plant or animal material that has been
chemically altered by a manufacturing process provided that the material is
included on The National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
7 CFR section
205.601.
(e) The cultivator shall not use:
(1) Any fertilizer or composted plant and
animal material that contains a synthetic substance not included on The
National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
7 CFR section
205.601;
(2) Sewage sludge in accordance with section
10105(a)(6) of
this chapter; and
(3) Burning as a
means of disposal for crop residues produced on the operation except that
burning may be used to suppress the spread of disease or to stimulate seed
germination consistent with local and state laws and
regulations.
1. New
section filed 7-14-2021; operative 7-14-2021 pursuant to Government Code
section
11343.4(b)(3)
(Register 2021, No. 29).
Note: Authority cited: Sections
26012
and
26013,
Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections
26013,
26062
and
26062.5,
Business and Professions Code.
