MDA extends comment period on proposed nitrogen fertilizer regulation

St. Paul, MN - The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has extended the public comment period for its draft proposal for the use of nitrogen fertilizer in Minnesota. The purpose of the proposed Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule is to minimize the potential for nitrate-nitrogen contamination from fertilizer in the state's groundwater and drinking water. Public comments will now be accepted through Friday, August 25, 2017.

“We’ve heard from farmers, commodity groups, and other leaders in our ag industry that more time is needed for them to weigh in on this proposal,” said MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “We need their input and we’re going to make that extension. We’re also going to hold additional meetings in Northwestern Minnesota at the request of ag leaders and members of the public in that region.”

Public listening sessions on the draft rule will be held at the following locations: 

Roseau: Roseau Civic Center, 121 Center Street East, Roseau, MN 56751 Wed. July 26, 6:30pm

Warren: Warren Community Center, 110 West Johnson Avenue, Warren, MN 56762 Thurs. July 27, 8:30am

Hawley: Hawley High School, 714 Joseph Street, Hawley, MN 56549 Thurs. July 27, 7pm

All comments regarding the proposed rule must be submitted in writing. After consideration of comments received, the MDA expects to publish the final draft of the rule in the fall of 2017. The rule is expected to be adopted in the fall of 2018.

Written comments on the draft Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule should be submitted by Friday August 25, 2017 via mail or email to:

Larry Gunderson
Fertilizer Technical Unit Supervisor
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN, 55155-2538

larry.gunderson@state.mn.us

All comments should, but are not required to, include a contact name, phone number and/or email address to provide for follow-up discussion on specific comments.

MDA reminds Minnesotans to use pesticides and fertilizers with care

ST. PAUL, Minn. – With the arrival of spring, Minnesotans may be thinking about lawns, trees and gardens. Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring a professional, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) urges the safe use of pesticides and fertilizers by following all label directions.   

In other words, “the label is the law.” Pesticide and fertilizer labels specify how to use products safely and effectively. In Minnesota, it is unlawful to apply products without following label instructions.  

If you hire a professional lawn care provider, do your homework. State law requires applicators to be licensed by the MDA in order to commercially apply weed and feed products, plant nutrient fertilizers, or pesticides to control weeds, insects or fungi. To be licensed by the MDA, applicators must possess knowledge and demonstrate qualifications to safely perform lawn, tree and garden services. 

Follow these tips for a safe spring gardening season:

• Licensed professionals must carry a valid ID card, so ask to see it before they start work;
• Be wary of people who claim their products are completely safe, or pressure you to sign a service contract;
• Recognize posted warning flags in areas that have been chemically treated;
• Review written records provided by applicators to document their work, including products used and amounts applied;
• If you do it yourself, do not apply products in windy or adverse weather conditions. High wind can cause products to drift and potentially harm people or plants;
• Sweep sidewalks and hard surfaces of unused product and reapply to their intended site; and,
• Buy only what you need and store unused product safely. 

Consumers can call the Better Business Bureau at 800-646-6222 and check customer satisfaction history about lawn care companies. For information about applicator licenses, call the MDA at 651-201-6615.  To report unlicensed applicators, please file a complaint on the MDA website (www.mda.state.mn.us) or call 651-201-6333.

MDA to host listening sessions on Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is hosting three free public listening sessions next week to receive input on proposed revisions to the state’s Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan. The Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan is a blueprint for prevention or minimization of the impacts of nitrogen fertilizer on groundwater in Minnesota.

MDA has been making revisions to the NFMP to reflect current activities, interagency water protection programs and implementation work, and to better align it with current water resource conditions and programs.

MDA is requesting comments on the 2013 plan. Comments will be accepted through November 1, 2013. More information can be found on MDA’s website at www.mda.state.mn.us.

The listening sessions are scheduled as follows:

Crookston

Monday, September 16, 2013 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Bede Ballroom, University of Minnesota Crookston, 2900 University Ave, Crookston, MN 56716

 

Wadena

Tuesday, September 17, 2013 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Robertson Theatre, Wadena - Deer Creek High School, 600 Colfax Ave. SW, Wadena, MN 56482

St. Cloud

Wednesday, September 18, 2013 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Great River Regional Library St Cloud, 1300 W. St. Germain St, St. Cloud, MN 56301

 

Rochester

Monday, September 23, 2013 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Cascade Meadow Wetlands & Environmental Science Center, 2900 19th Street NW Rochester, MN 55901

 

Roseville

Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Roseville Public Library Community Program Room, 2180 North Hamline Ave, Roseville, MN 55113

Revised Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan Draft Released for Public Comment

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) released a draft revision of the Minnesota’s Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan (NFMP) for public comment today. The NFMP is the state’s blueprint for prevention or minimization of the impacts of nitrogen fertilizer on groundwater.

In 2010, MDA began the revision process to reflect current activities, interagency water protection programs and implementation work, and to better align it with current water resource conditions and programs. MDA convened a multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee and conducted a detailed analysis of issues related to nitrates in groundwater. The revisions were based primarily on input from the Committee with consideration for past NFMP implementation experience, input from related programs, increased knowledge about occurrences of elevated nitrate in groundwater, and advances in agricultural technology and management practices.

The revised NFMP includes the following:

1. An emphasis on prevention of groundwater contamination by promoting fertilizer Best Management Practices (BMPs) and other beneficial practices;
2. Extensive testing of private wells in areas with row crop agriculture and vulnerable groundwater;
3. A new phased approach to assessing and prioritizing areas with nitrate contamination in groundwater, with guidance for determining each phase;
4. An emphasis on involving local farmers and communities in problem solving for local groundwater concerns; and,
5. Consideration of alternative land management and cropping practices in highly vulnerable areas.

To assist the public in understanding these issues and the NFMP, MDA will be hosting a series of public meetings across the state during the month of September. Locations and times of the meetings, the revised plan, and other supporting information will be posted on the MDA website: www.mda.state.mn.us

The public comment period will end November 1, 2013.