How are the California Food and Agriculture Code (FAC) and the California Code of Regulations (CCR) different?

The California Food and Agriculture Code (FAC) is established through legislation, meaning it is created and enacted by elected lawmakers. This code establishes foundational laws and policies related to agriculture, including various regulations that govern how agricultural practices should be carried out.

On the other hand, the California Code of Regulations (CCR) consists of rules and regulations that operationalize the statutes set forth by the FAC. These regulations are developed by state agencies that have been authorized by the legislature to implement the laws contained in the FAC. Thus, the CCR serves as a regulatory framework that provides detailed procedures, standards, and practices to ensure compliance with the more general statutes outlined in the FAC.

This distinction highlights the relationship between legislation and regulation: the FAC provides the overarching legal authority while the CCR translates those laws into specific regulatory requirements for implementation. This structural difference is crucial for understanding how laws and regulations work together to govern agricultural practices in California.