Labeling Of Slowly Released Plant Nutrients

(1) (a) No fertilizer label shall bear a statement that connotes or implies that certain plant nutrients contained in a fertilizer are released slowly over period of time, unless the nutrient or nutrients are identified and guaranteed. (b) Types of products with slow release properties recognized are (1) water insoluble (N products only), such as natural organics, urea-formaldehyde, IBDU, oxamide, etc., (2) coated slow release, such as sulfur coated urea and other encapsulated soluble fertilizers, and (3) occluded slow release, where fertilizers or fertilizer materials are mixed with waxes, resins, or other inert materials and formed into particles. The terms, “water insoluble, coated slow release, and occluded slow release” are accepted as descriptive of these products, respectively, provided the manufacturer can show a testing program substantiating the claim (testing under guidance of University of Tennessee Experiment Station personnel or a recognized reputable researcher acceptable to the Commissioner for evaluating the release characteristics of the product(s), must also be provided by the manufacturer. (c) To supplement Regulation No. 0080-05-10-.06 (b) when the nitrogen is organic, it should be established that if a label states the amount of organic nitrogen present in a phrase such as “nitrogen in organic form equivalent to X%N”, then the water insoluble nitrogen guarantee must not be less than 60% of the nitrogen so designated. For example: If the total nitrogen guarantee for a fertilizer is 10% and the label states, “Nitrogen in organic form equivalent to 2.5%N” then the WIN guarantee must not be less than 1.5% (2.5% x 0.6 = 1.5%). (d) When a slowly released nutrient is less than 15% of the guarantee for either total nitrogen (N), available phosphoric acid (P2O5), or soluble potash (K2O), as appropriate, the label shall bear no reference to such designations. *Zero (0) guarantees for nutrients other than the primary nutrients should not be made and shall not appear in the statement. **If chemical forms of N are claimed or required, the form shall be shown and the percentages of the individual forms shall add up to the total nitrogen. ***As prescribed by Regulation No. 0080-05-10-.04.