8 CCR 1202-4 Part 5 - LABEL REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Fertilizer labels

The following information must be displayed on the product label in a readable and conspicuous form:

5.1.1 Product name

5.1.2 Grade

5.1.3 Guaranteed Analysis in the following format and order: Guaranteed Analysis

Total Nitrogen (N) _____ %

_____ % Ammoniacal Nitrogen**

_____ % Nitrate Nitrogen**

_____ % Water Insoluble Nitrogen*

_____ % Urea Nitrogen**

_____ % (other recognized and determinable forms of Nitrogen)**

5.1.4 Available Phosphate (P2O5) _____ %

5.1.5 Soluble Potash (K2O) _____ %

5.1.6 (Other nutrients, elemental basis) _____ %***

5.1.7 Directions for use sufficient to ensure the safe and effective use of the product that, at a minimum, specify:

5.1.7.1 The recommended application method(s) and rate(s)

5.1.7.2 Any warning or caution statements necessary to avoid harm to the target plant(s), or other plants or animals

5.1.8 Net weight or mass, net volume of liquid or dry material, or count.

5.1.9 The date of manufacture, processing, packaging or repackaging or a code that permits the determination of the date; or if bulk, the shipment or delivery date.

5.1.10 The name and address of the registrant.

*If claimed or the statement "organic" or "slow acting nitrogen" or similar terms are used on the label

**If claimed.

***As prescribed by Rule 5.2

5.2 Plant Nutrients in addition to Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium

5.2.1 Other plant nutrients, when mentioned in any form or manner, must be guaranteed only on an available elemental basis. Sources of the elements guaranteed and proof of availability must be provided to the Commissioner upon request. Except guarantees for those water soluble nutrients labeled for ready to use foliar fertilizers, ready to use specialty liquid fertilizers, hydroponic or continuous liquid feed programs and guarantees for potting soils, the minimum percentages that will be accepted for registration are as follows:

Element	Minimum %
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

Any of the above-listed elements which are guaranteed must appear in the order listed, immediately following guarantees for the primary nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

5.2.2 Guarantees or claims for the above-listed plant nutrients are the only ones which will be accepted except that fertilizer guarantees may include other nutrients, recognized by AAPFCO. Proposed labels and directions for use of the fertilizer must be furnished with the application for registration upon request.

5.3 Slowly Released Plant Nutrients

5.3.1 No fertilizer label shall bear a statement that connotes or implies that certain plant nutrients contained in a fertilizer are released slowly over a period of time, unless the slow release components are identified and guaranteed at a level of at least 15% of the total guarantee for that nutrient(s).

5.3.2 Types of products recognized by the Commissioner to have slow release properties include, but are not limited to, (1) water insoluble products, such as natural organics, urea form materials, urea-formaldehyde products, isobutylidene diurea, and oxamide; (2) coated slow release products, such as sulfur coated urea and other encapsulated soluble fertilizers; (3) occluded slow release products in which fertilizers or fertilizer materials are mixed with waxes, resins, or other inert materials and formed into particles; and (4) products containing water soluble nitrogen such as ureaform materials, urea-formaldehyde products, methylenediurea (MDU), dimethylenetriurea (DMTU), and dicyanodiamide (DCD).

5.3.3 The term, "water insoluble", "coated slow release", "slow release", "controlled release", "slowly available water soluble" and "occluded slow release" are accepted as descriptive of these products, provided the manufacturer can demonstrate a testing program to substantiate the claim that is acceptable to the Commissioner.

5.3.4 A laboratory procedure, acceptable to the Commissioner for evaluating the release characteristics of the product(s) must be provided by the manufacturer if requested by the Commissioner.

5.4 Soil Conditioner and Plant Amendment Labels

The following information must be displayed on the product label in a readable and conspicuous form:

5.4.1 Net Weight or mass, net volume of liquid or dry material, or count.

5.4.2 Product Name.

5.4.3 Ingredient Statement including the name of each ingredient identified by the name published in the 2022 Official Publication of the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials, Inc., incorporated herein by reference as above in Rule 2.1 (later amendments not included). If no AAPFCO name exists, the common or usual name shall be used.

5.4.4 Purpose of product.

5.4.5 Directions for use sufficient to ensure the safe and effective use of the product that, at a minimum, specify:

5.4.5.1 The recommended application method(s) and rate(s).

5.4.5.2 Any warning or caution statements necessary to avoid harm to the target plants (if applicable), or other plants or animals.

5.4.6 Name and address of the registrant.

5.4.7 The date of manufacture, processing, packaging or repackaging or a code that permits the determination of the date; or if bulk, the shipment or delivery date.

5.5 Compost Labels

5.5.1 The following information shall be displayed on the product label in a readable and conspicuous form:

5.5.1.1 Product name.

5.5.1.2 Directions for use sufficient to ensure the safe and effective use of the product that at minimum specify:

5.5.1.2.1 The recommended application method(s) and rate(s); and

5.5.1.2.2 Any warning or caution statements necessary to avoid harm to the target plants (if applicable), or other plants or animals.

5.5.1.3 Name and address of the manufacturer or distributor.

5.5.1.4 Net weight or volume.

5.5.2 Compost distributed in bulk must be accompanied by a printed or written statement showing the ph level & soluble salt level in addition to the information required above.

5.5.3 Any product labeled as compost must meet the following minimum standards:

5.5.3.1 The product must contain carbon and nitrogen in a ratio of less than or equal to 18, as determined by the method specified in Rule 6.2.5.5.3.2 The product must have a SOLVITA Ammonia Test result of greater than or equal to 4, as determined by the method specified in Rule 6.2.

5.5.3.3 The product must have a SOLVITA Carbon Dioxide test result of greater than or equal to 5, as determined by the method specified in Rule 6.2.

5.6 Beneficial Substances or compounds

5.6.1 When claimed or advertised, beneficial substances or compounds must be guaranteed on the product label under the heading 'Contains Beneficial Substances' or 'Contains Beneficial Compounds', or 'Contains non-plant food ingredients'.

5.6.2 The amount of the beneficial substance or compound shall be guaranteed by the weight of the substance or compound as a percentage of the net weight of the product.

5.7 Microbes

5.7.1. When claimed or advertised, a product which contains the presence of microbes must guarantee the microbes as a minimum number of each claimed viable organism at the genus and species level in colony forming units (CFU), spores, or propagules per gram or milliliter, and must have an expiration date and must have storage and handling instructions.

5.8 Any products coming under the fertilizer law must not carry labels to emphasize that dilutions will make so many gallons of fertilizer. Specific claims, such as "contents of this package will make ___ gallons of fertilizer" are prohibited.

Notes

8 CCR 1202-4 Part 5

40 CR 05, March 10, 2017, effective 3/30/2017 40 CR 23, December 10, 2017, effective 12/30/2017 43 CR 22, November 25, 2020, effective 12/15/2020 45 CR 13, July 10, 2022, effective 7/30/2022