SB 83 Summary

• County commissions and municipal governing bodies are prohibited from adopting or continuing ordinances, rules, or resolutions regulating the registration, packaging, labeling, sale, distribution, or application of fertilizers.

• The entire subject matter of fertilizer regulation is reserved exclusively to the Department of Agriculture and Industries.

• "Fertilizer" is defined as any substance containing one or more recognized plant nutrients used for plant nutrient content, excluding unmanipulated animal and vegetable manures, marl, lime, limestone, wood ashes, and boiler ashes from pulp, paper, or electric utility industries.

• Zoning ordinances and business licenses enacted by local governments remain valid except to the extent they regulate fertilizers, which provisions are null and void.

• Political subdivisions may be exempted from the prohibition if their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit or ADEM action requires stricter standards based on federal or state requirements for impaired water bodies, though the exemption lapses upon water quality restoration.