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This website publishes administrative rules on their effective dates, as designated by the adopting state agencies, colleges, and universities.

Chapter 901:5-1 | Fertilizer

 
 
 
Rule
Rule 901:5-1-01 | Labeling requirements for fertilizer.
 

(A) No manufacturer or distributor of fertilizer shall use any term which is defined in the official publication of the association of American plant food control officials as adopted in rule 901:5-1-02 of the Administrative Code on the label of any fertilizer unless the fertilizer complies with the standard for such terms which are stated in said publication.

(B) No manufacturer or distributor of a fertilizer shall include the name of any plant nutrient element:

(1) Other than nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on the label of a fertilizer other than a specialty fertilizer, unless the percentage guaranteed equals or exceeds the percentage required in the following table:

ELEMENTMINIMUM PERCENTAGE REQUIRED
Calcium (Ca)1.00
Magnesium (Mg)0.50
Sulfur (S)1.00
Boron (B)0.02
Chlorine (Cl)0.10
Cobalt (Co) 0.0005
Copper (Cu) 0.05
Iron (Fe)0.10
Manganese (Mn) 0.05
Molybdenum (Mo)0.0005
Nickel (Ni)0.0010
Sodium (Na) 0.10
Zinc (Zn) 0.05

(2) Which is not named in paragraph (B)(1) of this rule on the label of any such fertilizer.

(C) Each manufacturer or distributor of any fertilizer which bears on its label the name of any element which is listed in paragraph (B) of this rule, shall:

(1) List each element which is mentioned on the label and the percentage guarantee in the same order in which such elements are listed in paragraph (B) of this rule;

(2) Furnish the director of agriculture the label and directions for use of any fertilizer for which the director requests such information;

(3) Include warning or caution statements on the label for any fertilizer which contains:

(a) Three one-hundredths per cent or more of boron in water soluble form;

(b) One one-thousandths per cent or more of molybdenum.

Last updated February 6, 2023 at 8:58 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 905.44
Amplifies: 905.35, 905.43, 905.44
Five Year Review Date: 5/14/2024
Prior Effective Dates: 8/4/2013
Rule 901:5-1-02 | Definitions.
 

As used in this chapter:

(A) All terms which are defined in section 905.31 of the Revised Code are incorporated into this chapter.

(B) The terms which are defined in the official publication of the association of American plant food control officials (2017) are hereby incorporated into this chapter. Interested individuals may locate a copy of the official publication by visiting www.aapfco.org.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 905.44
Amplifies: 905.31
Five Year Review Date: 5/14/2024
Prior Effective Dates: 1/21/1982
Rule 901:5-1-04 | Requirements for sales of fertilizer from bulk storage facilities.
 

(A) No person shall distribute any fertilizer from any bulk storage facility unless such facility provides access for sampling each fertilizer stored therein.

(B) No person shall distribute a fertilizer from any bulk storage facility to more than one consumer unless he:

(1) Labels the area where the fertilizer is stored to show the grade of the fertilizer;

(2) Shows the grade of the fertilizer on each invoice for shipments therefrom;

(C) Each manufacturer or distributor of fertilizer shall include the date of delivery on each shipping invoice or delivery ticket for each shipment of bulk fertilizer to an individual who is not licensed pursuant to section 905.32 of the Revised Code.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 905.44
Amplifies: 905.35, 905.43, 905.44
Five Year Review Date: 5/14/2024
Prior Effective Dates: 8/4/2013
Rule 901:5-1-05 | Weighing of fertilizer and requirements for shipping invoice.
 

(A) No person shall distribute any fertilizer other than by net weight unless the director has approved the device which is used to measure the fertilizer.

(B) A meter may be used to deliver fertilizer by volume provided that each individual meter so used has been tested and approved by the director.

(C) Each distributor shall include on the shipping invoice or delivery ticket for any fertilizer which is delivered by volume:

(1) Volume of fertilizer delivered;

(2) The calculated net weight derived from the volume delivered; and

(3) The conversion factor used to derive the calculated net weight from the volume delivered.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 905.44
Amplifies: 905.35, 905.43, 905.44
Five Year Review Date: 5/14/2024
Rule 901:5-1-06 | What constitutes mislabeled fertilizer.
 

(A) Fertilizer material is mislabeled if the director of agriculture determines after analysis of said fertilizer material that the percentage of total nitrogen, available phosphoric acid (P2O5), or soluble potash (K20) in the fertilizer is below the allowances permitted in the table found in paragraph (B) of this rule:

(B)

Guarantee per centNitrogen (N)Available phosphate (P2O5)Soluble potash (K2O)
04 or less0.490.370.41
050.510.670.43
060.520.670.47
070.540.680.53
080.550.680.60
090.570.680.65
100.580.680.70
120.610.690.79
140.630.700.87
160.670.700.94
180.700.711.01
200.730.721.08
220.750.721.15
240.780.731.21
260.810.731.27
280.830.741.33
300.860.751.39
320.880.761.44
340.791.46
360.831.49
380.861.51
400.901.54
420.931.56
440.961.58
461.001.61
481.071.66
501.101.68
521.101.68
541.70
561.73
581.75
601.78
621.80

For N guarantees above 32 per cent the allowance shall be 0.88.

For P2O5 guarantees above 52 per cent the allowance shall be 1.10.

For K2O guarantees above 62 per cent the allowance shall be 1.80.

For guarantees not listed, calculate the appropriate allowance by interpolation.

(C) Any mixture of fertilizers is mislabeled if the director determines after analysis of the mixture that:

(1) The percentage of total nitrogen, available phosphoric acid (P2O5), or soluble potash (K2O) in the mixture is more than ten per cent below the percentage guaranteed or more than two percentage points below the percentage guaranteed, whichever is the smaller; or

(2) The total of the percentages determined for the three primary plant nutrients is less than ninety-seven per cent of the sum of the guarantees for these three nutrients.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 905.44
Amplifies: 905.35, 905.43, 905.44
Five Year Review Date: 5/14/2024
Prior Effective Dates: 2/20/1969