Committee discusses adding 'beneficial substances' to fertilizer law, questions fee and regulation scope

Members of the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry Committee reviewed draft language that would expand the statute covering fertilizer and lime to include a new category called “beneficial substances,” a catchall that would cover plant biostimulants, plant and soil inoculants, soil amendments and similar products.

Committee members raised questions about how the change would affect registration fees, whether any products are already being registered under existing rules, and whether pesticides or products regulated under other chapters (for example certain desiccants and economic poisons) would inadvertently be covered. Staff said fertilizers and pesticides remain separate categories under current law and that many products are already registered; the draft would replace three…