Fertilizer restrictions going statewide in Florida

Tallahassee-Florida is poised to become the second state to impose state-wide restrictions on fertilizer for non-agriculture uses. The Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services expects to adopt new rules for fertilizing yards, parks, golf courses, sports fields, cemeteries, subdivision common areas, and other nonagricultural grass areas in April. Minnesota already has restrictions on the books, but only phosphorus is covered. Florida Ag Commissioner Charles Bronson indicated in his announcement that all fertilizer products labeled for use on urban turf, sports turf, and lawns will have to be limited to the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus needed to support healthy turf maintenance – only no- or low-phosphorus will be allowed by the state edict. In essence, the agency wants to limit a single fertilizer application on 1,000 square feet of lawn to no more than a quarter-pound of phosphorus and a half-pound of nitrogen. Over a year’s time, the combined amounts would be limited to a half-pound of phosphorus and 5 pounds of nitrogen for 1,000 square feet of grass. The proposed rule is proceeding through the rulemaking process, and Bronson said that he expects it to become effective sometime this spring. It was developed by Bronson’s department with input from the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, the state’s water management districts, county environmental offices, fertilizer manufacturers, and concerned citizens. Spokesman Terence McElroy told Green Markets that the department doesn’t have the authority to check at the user level for compliance, but “we can limit what’s being used by regulating what’s sold in the market.” At least one Florida producer, Harrell’s at Lakeland, said it was equipped to provide products that comply with the edict. Scotts announced last year that it was starting to add low- and no-phosphorous fertilizers to its lines. Florida state law already requires that all directions for use on fertilizer products must be approved by the agriculture department. During the 2005-06 fiscal year, the department approved labeling for more than 1,200 brands of specialty fertilizers, many of which are used on urban turf and lawns.