Update on Cannabis Pesticide Product Guidance

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) provides resources through its Cannabis Program to assist stakeholders determine which pesticides are legal to use on cannabis in California. DPR has updated and simplified the guidance documents and Website information to provide clarity about current requirements. There are no changes in policy, procedures, or regulations.

The DPR Cannabis Program Website resources provide questions and answers about pesticide usage on cannabis. DPR would like to highlight the following two changes:

The document Pesticides that are Legal to Use has been revised to help stakeholders better understand how certain pesticides not specifically labeled for use on cannabis can legally be applied without a use in conflict or residue tolerance violation.

• It now includes explanations of the terms “exempt from residue tolerance,” “use in conflict with the label,” and provides a better understanding of “broad use.”
• In response to comments from county agricultural commissioners and stakeholders, examples of active ingredients that may be found in such products have been removed to avoid confusion.
• It also clarifies that cannabis and hemp are separate crops in California. Products labeled for hemp cannot be used on cannabis unless other specified criteria are met. The document Pesticides that Cannot be Used, first developed in 2017, has been deleted and all related information has been removed.

Moving forward, DPR will place emphasis on products that meet the legal use criteria and educating stakeholders on better understanding regulatory requirements, rather than focusing on exceptions to those requirements. 

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Rachel Kubiak, DPR’s Cannabis Program Manager, at 916-215-2027 or Rachel.Kubiak@cdpr.ca.gov.

Sincerely,