Harrisburg, Pa.-Fertilizer producers won’t have to wait for the mail any longer to get results of tests taken by the state at their facilities. “It used to be a pretty slow process,” admitted Earl Haas, director of the Agriculture Dept.’s bureau of plant industries. “Back then we wouldn’t mail out the results until all the tests were completed.” Now, according to Haas, that information is online “live and right up to the second” for manufacturers and dealers to easily access with the department’s newly introduced PA Plants. Ag Secy. Dennis Wolff boasted, “We’re bringing today’s technology to Pennsylvania’s plant industry. PA Plants will provide producers with convenient tools to help manage their businesses and better regulate the state’s plant products.” Haas said the same instant access is also available for pesticide dealers and applicators, who can review their certification credit status and search for the location of training meetings and exam sites. License status can be checked and information changes submitted for the department to enter. Plans also are being made to allow license renewals on-line with a credit card. In the coming year, reported Wolff, PA Plants will integrate new components, ranging from apiary and nutrient management licenses to feed and lime tonnage reporting. Information on pesticide product registration and pesticide disposal will also be available.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain