Illinois Administrative Code › Title 2 - GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION › Part 700 - ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, DESCRIPTION, RULEMAKING PROCEDURE, AND PROGRAMS › Subpart G - RULEMAKING FLOW CHARTS › Appendix E - Fertilizer Research and Education Program

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE
A research and education program for fertilizer is
				  established and shall be operated for purposes of sponsoring research and
				  education programs. In order to implement this program, a Fertilizer Research
				  and Education Council (council) is established and its goals and objectives
				  are:
a) To evaluate the agronomics of fertilizers when
				  best management practices are used, which may include, but are not limited to,
				  the relationship of fertilizer use to soil management, soil fertility, plant
				  nutrition problems, economic considerations, and environment
				  considerations.
b) To develop effective application techniques for
				  fertilizer, which may include the development of equipment and fertilizer
				  distribution systems.
c) To demonstrate the efficiencies and
				  effectiveness of fertilizer systems.
d) To conduct research on environmental concerns
				  which shall be related to fertilizer usage.
e) To develop innovative uses of fertilizers under
				  varied cultural, pest control and water management practices and other
				  potential uses.
f) To disseminate the results of such research
				  programs.
g) To promote the recommended and effective usage
				  of fertilizer materials through education programs and other designated
				  activities.
ARTICLE II
FERTILIZER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
				  COUNCIL
Section 1. Establishment of Council.
a) A Fertilizer Research and Education Council is
				  established under the authority of Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of
				  1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 5, par. 55.6 a, as amended by P.A. 86-232,
				  effective August 15, 1989).
b)
This Council shall be comprised of 3
				  persons representing the fertilizer industry, 3 persons representing crop
				  production, and 2 persons representing the public at large
who shall
				  be appointed by the Director of the Department of Agriculture (director)
				  (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961).
c) Vacancies occurring on the council during an
				  unexpired term of office shall be filled by the director with an appointee who
				  is from the respective field affected by the vacancy. The appointee shall serve
				  as a representative on the council for the unexpired term. Should an appointed
				  council member no longer represent the respective field from which such member
				  was appointed, a vacancy shall be deemed to exist.
Section 2. Term of Office.
a) The term of office for a council member shall
				  be three years, except for the initial council. The term of office shall
				  terminate on September 30. No person shall serve as a council member for more
				  than two consecutive terms of office.
b) In order to have staggered terms of office to
				  the council, the initial terms of office shall terminate on September 30 in the
				  years 1993, 1994, and 1995.
c) The term of office for each initial council
				  member shall be determined by a drawing.
Section 3. Meetings of Council.
a) The council shall meet at least once
				  annually.
b) Each appointed council member and the director
				  are entitled to one vote. An appointed council member cannot vote by proxy or
				  be represented by another person.
c) Any action taken by the council shall require a
				  majority vote of the council members, provided a quorum is present.
d) If an appointed council member misses three
				  consecutive meetings of the council, the director shall declare the office
				  vacant and the procedure for filling vacancies shall be initiated.
Section 4. Council Compensation.
The appointed council members are entitled to actual and
				  necessary travel expenses at the reimbursement rate approved by the State's
				  Travel Control Board while attending meetings of the council or while engaged
				  in the performance of official responsibilities as determined by the council.
				  Council members are not entitled to any salary.
Section 5. Duties of the Chairman
The Director or his representative from the
				  Department shall act as chairman of the council
(Section 6a of the
				  Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961). The duties of the chairman shall be
				  to:
a) Preside at all meetings of the council.
b) Call meetings of the council when deemed
				  necessary or when requested by three or more appointed members of the
				  council.
c) Have general supervision of the affairs of the
				  council and perform all acts and duties usually incidental to and required of a
				  presiding officer.
Section 6. Powers and Duties of the Council.
The responsibilities of the council are to:
a) solicit research and education projects
				  consistent with the scope of the established fertilizer research and education
				  program (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);
b)
review and arrange for peer review of
				  all research proposals for scientific merit and methods, and review for arrange
				  for the review of all proposals for their merit, objective, methods and
				  procedures
(Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961); any
				  person performing peer review shall not be associated with the person or
				  organization submitting the project;
c)
evaluate the proposed budget for the
				  projects and make recommendations as necessary
(Section 6a of the
				  Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);
d)
monitor progress of projects and report
				  at least once each 6 months on each project's accomplishments to the director
				  and board of agricultural advisers
(Section 6a of the Illinois
				  Fertilizer Act of 1961);
e)
recommend projects to be approved and
				  funded at least annually including recommendations on continuation or
				  cancellation of authorized and ongoing projects
(Section 6a of the
				  Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);
f) recommend to the Board of Agricultural Advisors
				  and to the director that the Department of Agriculture contract with or make
				  grants to an organization, agency or individual for any research, education
				  materials, peer review and/or educational programs pertaining to
				  fertilizers;
g) publish annually an activity and financial
				  report for the period October 1 through September 30;
h) recommend that the Department of Agriculture
				  accept donations, gifts, and other property to be used for program purposes;
				  and
i) perform other duties as may be necessary for
				  the operation of the council.
ARTICLE III
GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
				  PROJECTS
Section 1. Research Projects.
a) Proposals for research projects shall contain
				  the following information on forms provided by the Department:
1) Identity of the project and its
				  location;
2) Name(s) of project leader(s) and of any person
				  or entity that will be cooperating, if applicable; biographical information on
				  project leader(s) shall be included;
3) Specific and concise objectives for the
				  project;
4) Justification statement on why the work is
				  needed, literature review of related research that has been conducted or is now
				  being conducted, what information will be contributed, and impact of
				  research;
5) A workplan including but not limited
				  to:
A) treatment variables and levels of each (e.g.,
				  types of treatments, rates of application, plot dimensions, and
				  replications).
B) soil characteristics (e.g., soil type,
				  chemical base measurements on soil before treatments are started, physical
				  characteristics of plot area such as topography, bulk density, and drainage,
				  and any biological characteristics that are unique to the plot).
C) cultural practices (e.g., field history; crop
				  rotation to be used; target planting dates; hybrids or varieties; seeding rate
				  and row width; weed control; insect control; disease control; irrigation, type,
				  frequency, method of scheduling; tillage and residue management; and fertilizer
				  application methods and placement).
D) parameters to be measured (e.g., establish
				  chemical base measurements on soil, plant analyses as appropriate for each
				  treatment, quality measurements in addition to yield, total above ground dry
				  matter and nutrient content at harvest on selected treatments, water and energy
				  efficiency measurements as appropriate, and yield).
E) development of equipment and fertilizer
				  delivery systems, if applicable.
F) anticipated effects on the environment.
G) any pertinent information on the project that
				  the person submitting the research project desires to explain.
6) Dates of the initiation and completion of the
				  project, timetable with targeted goals, and any deadlines that may be
				  established;
7) Itemized cost of the project.
b) Any person who has a research project funded
				  by the council shall submit to the chairman a quarterly report on the project's
				  findings that have occurred during the quarter for which the report covers and
				  a final report at the project's conclusion covering the total findings and
				  conclusions of the project.
Section 2. Education and Information Dissemination
				  Projects.
a) Proposals for education and/or information
				  dissemination projects shall contain the following information on forms
				  provided by the Department:
1) Identity of the project and its
				  location;
2) Name(s) of project leader(s) and of any person
				  or entity that will be cooperating, if applicable; biographical information on
				  the project leader(s) shall be included;
3) Specific and concise objectives for the
				  project;
4) Justification statement on why the work is
				  needed, related projects that have been conducted or are now being conducted,
				  what information will be contributed, and impact of the project;
5) Itemized cost of the project;
6) Dates of initiation and completion of the
				  project, timetable with targeted goals, and any deadlines that may be
				  established.
b) Any person who has an education and/or
				  information dissemination project funded by the council shall submit to the
				  chairman a quarterly report on the project's findings that have occurred during
				  the quarter for which the report covers and a final report at the project's
				  conclusion covering the total findings and conclusions of the project.
Section 3. Copyright, royalty, and patent. The contract with
				  the person whose project was approved shall address the issues of copyright,
				  royalty payments and patents.
ARTICLE IV
PROCEDURES FOR PROJECT APPROVAL
a) The council shall solicit projects from time to
				  time. Within six months of the date of receipt of the project application, the
				  council shall advise the person who submitted the project whether the project
				  has been approved, rejected, is pending or needs additional information.
b) When the council approves a new project or
				  makes a recommendation for continuation or cancellation of ongoing projects,
				  the recommendation and project shall be delivered to the director on the date
				  it is approved. In deciding whether to approve a project, the council shall
				  consider its objectives and goals, availability of funding, and the results of
				  other research. Because of the possibility of insufficient funding, the council
				  shall rank projects.
c) The director shall call a meeting of the Board
				  of Agricultural Advisors within 30 days of the date of delivery of the
				  council's recommendation.
d) One or more members of the council as
				  designated by the council shall present the proposed project or recommendation
				  for continuation or cancellation to the Board of Agricultural Advisors.
e)
The Board of Agricultural Advisors
				  shall review the proposed projects and recommendations of the fertilizer
				  research and education council and recommend to the director what projects
				  shall be approved and their priority. The Board of Agricultural advisors shall
				  recommend to the director the continuation or cancellation of such
				  projects
(Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961).
				  Decisions of the Board of Agricultural Advisors on the recommendations of the
				  council shall be forwarded to the director and to the council within ten
				  working days.
f) The director shall consider the recommendations
				  of the council and the Board of Agricultural Advisors in determining whether to
				  approve or reject a project or a recommendation to continue or cancel a
				  project. The director's final decision on each recommendation shall be made
				  within ten working days of the date of the Board of Agricultural Advisor's
				  recommendation.