Richmond, Va.-Agriculture interests, along with others, have strong hopes for a bill in this session of the Virginia general assembly to limit local authority to regulate fertilizers. The measure (SB1061) was introduced at the request of the agribusiness industry, and is supported by the Virginia Turfgrass Council and others. “The bill restricts localities from regulating the registration, packaging, labeling, sale or distribution of fertilizers, leaving this authority with the state,” said Virginia Agribusiness Council’s Donna Pugh Johnson. The Turfgrass Council said the bill will benefit all who make, sell and use fertilizer by preventing any and every town from making different rules restricting and banning the sale and use of fertilizer products. Both groups also applauded tabling of another bill (HB 2663) prohibiting excessive application of pesticides and fertilizers. “While we do not condone excess application of fertilizers, this proposal did not provide a reasonable solution,” Johnson said.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain