Sacramento-California now has stronger new fertilizer regulations that incorporate what it calls organic input material and require manufacturers registering with the state to establish that their product is acceptable for organic use. Coming in the aftermath of at least two organic products being found to include commercial nitrogen, the new rules, effective Jan. 1, 2010, increase both manufacturing and certification fines for organic and conventional products to up to $500 per violation. Adulterating the content of fertilizer could result in civil instead of misdemeanor penalties. Organic registration fees are capped at $500 per product. “If you’re going to qualify you’re going to have to prove that your product is acceptable for organic use and meets the requirements of USDA’s national organic program,” according to Steven Beckley, who heads the Organic Fertilizer Association of California. Beckley warned that the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Fertilizer Inspection Division will be checking these claims before a product is allowed to enter the market. He expects the result will be somewhat higher prices for the organic product since each differing label for organic input would require registration at a fee not to exceed $500 per product. The CDFA is also required to inspect organic manufacturing facilities at least once a year and may cancel – for three years ?Çô the licenses of any person found adultering or misbranding organic materials. The secretary of agriculture is directed to review the implementation of the statutes and publish a report on the department’s website by Jan. 1, 2012.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain