Agency Report to JCAR-Page 2
The rules provide for details on the sale of commercial fertilizers, both protecting consumers through
requirements on guaranteed nutrients and labeling standards, as well as providing for standards on
slow-release fertilizers. The rules also include a provision on reporting requirements for amounts
sold. Proposed updates:
Rule 1 & Rule 2 Update the element percentage solubility guarantee.
•Align the minimum nutrient guarantee figures with specific and actual plant uptake, in addition to
improved and more accurate laboratory testing technology. Meaning, plants can only utilize a given
amount of each nutrient. Allowing a minimum guarantee that is smaller and more in line with plant
uptake allows farmers to apply less fertilizer, which protects the environment from non-utilized
nutrients being lost to soils, groundwater, and surface water.
•Adopt the current nationally used standards, set by the American Association of Plant Food Control
Officials (AAPFCO).
•Remove redundant language.
Rule 7 Update report due dates to annually.
•Streamlines reporting for industry.
•Eases administrative burdens.
4. Summary of proposed rules:
The rules will allow the State of Michigan to align with current standards set by AAPFCO. The
subsequent decrease in fertilizer usage and cost of tonnage reporting as a result of the proposed rule
change benefits the public’s health, farmers, and the environment. The proposed rule change will
benefit farmers and the industry by reducing the cost of tonnage reporting and decreasing the amount
of fertilizer used. Both the public and environment will also see substantial benefits due to that
decrease in fertilizer usage.
5. List names of newspapers in which the notice of public hearing was published and
publication dates:
The Escanaba Daily Press on November 5, 2021
The Muskegon Chronicle and The Bay City Times on November 7, 2021
6. Date of publication of rules and notice of public hearing in Michigan Register:
12/1/2021
7. Date, time, and location of public hearing:
12/7/2021 01:00 PM at Constitution Hall, 525 W Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48933, Room: CH-ATN
-THEODORE-BROWN , Virtual Room: Microsoft Teams +1 248-509-0316,,659194761#
United States, Pontiac Phone Conference ID: 659 194 761#
8. Provide the link the agency used to post the regulatory impact statement and cost-benefit
analysis on its website:
9. List of the name and title of agency representative(s) attending public hearing:
MCL 24.242 and 24.245