The Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) developed the OCal certification program to assist consumers with making informed choices about cannabis and cannabis products. The OCal seal distinguishes cannabis grown using organic practices in the marketplace.
To support these goals, Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) regulations section 17408 include strict requirements for product labels that prohibit using false or misleading information, including:
- Any statement or indication that the cannabis or cannabis product is organic, unless the National Organic Program authorizes organic designation and certification for cannabis and the cannabis or cannabis product meets the requirements for that designation and certification (section 6517 of the federal Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. section 6501 et seq.)).
- Any statement or indication that the cannabis or cannabis product is OCal, OCal certified, or made with OCal cannabis if the cannabis or cannabis product was not cultivated, handled, processed, or manufactured in compliance with the requirements of the OCal program (BPC 26062).
- Use of the term organic, organics, or variants in spelling, such as organix in brand or company names. The term organic may be used in the ingredient statement on the information panel of a cannabis product if the product label includes USDA-certified Organic ingredients.
License holders that provide false or misleading information on product labels may be subject to a compliance action from DCC, including but not limited to, a notice to comply and/or a citation and fine.
To learn more about how your products can be certified OCal visit the OCal website or one of the following OCal certifiers:
