Senate Bill 78 proposes amendments to the regulations surrounding the distribution and labeling of fertilizers and soil or plant additives derived from manure, specifically those produced through composting or vermicomposting. The bill allows for the distribution of fertilizers with a combined weight of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium of less than 24 percent, which is a departure from the current requirement of at least 24 percent unless exempted by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Additionally, it exempts fertilizers produced from composting manure from needing to meet minimum nutrient content requirements and allows for representations of nutrient content to be substantiated by typical analyses rather than guaranteed analyses.

Furthermore, the bill eliminates the requirement for controlled experimental field tests to prove the efficacy of soil or plant additives made from composted manure. It introduces new definitions for terms such as "beneficial substance" and "vermicompost," and it modifies existing provisions to allow for more flexible labeling and permitting processes. Notably, the bill stipulates that if the truthfulness of a statement regarding a soil or plant additive is supported by a typical analysis, it does not need to be backed by a guaranteed analysis, thereby streamlining the regulatory process for compost-based products.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 94.64(3m)(a)(intro.), 94.64, 94.64(3m)(a)1, 94.64(9)(c), 94.65(4)(a)(intro.), 94.65, 94.65(4)(b)