Plant and soil amendment labeling requirements clarified, guaranteed analysis of soil and plant amendments modified, and applicants submitting plant and soil amendment registration required to submit a certificate of composition.

A bill for an act

relating to agriculture; clarifying plant and soil amendment labeling requirements;

modifying the guaranteed analysis of soil and plant amendments; requiring

applicants submitting plant and soil amendment registration to submit a certificate

of composition; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 18C.005, by adding

subdivisions; 18C.211, subdivision 4; 18C.411, subdivision 2; proposing coding

for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 18C.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18C.005, is amended by adding a subdivision

to read:

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Subd. 1d.

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Active ingredient.

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"Active ingredient" means an ingredient present in a

fertilizer, soil amendment, plant amendment, or beneficial substance that is a plant nutrient

or a soil or plant amending ingredient.

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Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18C.005, is amended by adding a subdivision to

read:

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Subd. 15b.

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Inert ingredient.

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"Inert ingredient" means an ingredient that is not an active

ingredient in a specialty fertilizer, soil amendment, plant amendment, or beneficial substance.

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Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18C.211, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Guaranteed analysis of soil or plant amendment
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or beneficial substance
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.

The

guaranteed analysis of a soil amendment
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or
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,
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plant amendment
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, or beneficial substance
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must

be an accurate statement of composition including the percentages of each
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active
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ingredient.

If the product is a microbiological product, the number of viable microorganisms per milliliter

for a liquid
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or
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,
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the number of viable microorganisms per gram
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, or any other acceptable units
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for a
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dry
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product must also be listed.

Sec. 4.

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[18C.217] SOIL AMENDMENT, PLANT AMENDMENT, AND BENEFICIAL

SUBSTANCE LABELING.

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(a) A person may not sell or distribute a soil amendment, plant amendment, or beneficial

substance in bags or other containers in this state unless a label is placed on or affixed to

the bag or container stating in a clear, legible, and conspicuous form the following

information:

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(1) the product name;

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(2) the net weight or net volume expressed in imperial and metric measurements;

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(3) the name and address of the guarantor and registrant;

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(4) a statement identifying the purpose of the product;

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(5) directions for use; and

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(6) the guaranteed analysis of each active ingredient.

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(b) If the soil amendment, plant amendment, or beneficial substance contains

mircroorganisms, the label must include an expiration date and recommended storage

conditions.

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(c) The label is not required to list inert ingredients.

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(d) A person selling or distributing a bulk shipment of soil amendments, plant

amendments, or beneficial substances to a singular, end consumer may provide the purchaser

with a single printed form with the information required in paragraphs (a) and (b) instead

of placing or affixing a label on the bulk bag or container.

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Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18C.411, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Application.

The application for registration must include:

(1) for specialty fertilizers:

(i) the name and address of the guarantor and registrant;

(ii) the brand and grade;

(iii) the guaranteed analysis as required by section
18C.211
;

(iv) the sources from which nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or other elements or

materials are derived; and

(v) the amount and formulas of inert ingredients; and

(2) for soil amendments and plant amendments:

(i) the name and address of the guarantor and registrant;

(ii) the brand name;

(iii) the sources from which the ingredients used in the product are derived;
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and
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(iv) the guaranteed analysis as required by section
18C.211
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.
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; and
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(v) a certificate of composition that describes the amount and formulas of each inert

ingredient and beneficial substance included in the formula.

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Sec. 6.
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REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
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The revisor of statutes must renumber the subdivisions in Minnesota Statutes, section

18C.005, in alphabetical order and correct all cross-references.

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