Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 4 - AGRICULTURE › Chapter 4.12 - AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES DIVISION › Subchapter 4.12.6 - Fertilizer Regulations › Rule 4.12.604 - LABELING

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
(1) The following information, in the format
				presented, is the minimum required for all fertilizer labels. For packaged
				products, this information shall either appear on the front or back of the
				package, occupy at least the upper third of a side of a package, or be printed
				on a tag and attached to the package. This information shall be in a readable
				and conspicuous form. For bulk products, this same information in written or
				printed form shall accompany delivery and be supplied to the purchaser at the
				time of delivery.
(a) Net weight
(b) Brand
(c) Grade (Provided that the grade shall not
				be required when no primary nutrients are claimed).
(d) Guaranteed analysis*:
Total Nitrogen
				  (N)**...................................______%
% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
% Nitrate Nitrogen
% Water Insoluble Nitrogen
% Urea Nitrogen
% (Other recognized and determinable forms of N)
Available Phosphate
				  (P205) ____%
Soluble Potash (K20). ____%
(Other nutrients, elemental basis)***....____ %
*Zero guarantees should not be made and shall not appear in
				  statement except in nutrient guarantee breakdowns.
**If chemical forms of N are claimed or required, the form
				  shall be shown. No implied order of the forms of nitrogen is intended.
***As prescribed by regulation
				  4.12.601.
(e) Sources of nutrients shall be listed
				below the completed guaranteed analysis statement.
(f) Beneficial substances or compound
				guarantees shall appear under the heading "Contains Beneficial Substances" or
				"Contains Beneficial Compounds":
Contains Beneficial Substances
Beneficial Substance.........._____% or acceptable
				  units
Purpose Statement:
OR
Contains Beneficial Compounds
Beneficial Compound.........._____% or acceptable
				  units
Purpose Statement:
(g) Name and address of registrant or
				licensee.
(h) Directions for use
				for fertilizer distributed to the end user.
(i) For specialty fertilizer, minimum
				directions for use shall include:
(A)
				Recommended application rate or rates in units of weight or volume per unit of
				area coverage (where application rates are given in volume, the label shall
				provide sufficient information to calculate the application rates by weight);
				and
(B) Application timing and
				minimum intervals to apply the product when plants can utilize nutrients;
				and
(C) The statement "Apply Only
				as Directed" or a statement of similar designation.
(ii) For all other fertilizers, minimum
				directions for use shall include at least one of the following:
(A) A statement such as:
Use in accordance with recommendations of a qualified
				  individual or institution, such as, but not limited to, a certified crop
				  advisor, agronomist, crop extension publication, or apply according to
				  recommendations in your approved nutrient management plan; or,
(B) Detailed directions for a
				specific use.
(iii) For
				slowly released plant nutrients:
(A) 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 at least 15% of the total guarantee for that nutrient(s).
(B) Types of products with slow release
				properties recognized are:
(I) water
				insoluble, such as natural organics, ureaform materials, ureaformaldehyde
				products, isobutyidene diurea, oxamide, etc.;
(II) coated slow release, such as sulphur
				coated urea and other encapsulated soluble fertilizers;
(III) occluded slow release, where
				fertilizers or fertilizer materials are mixed with waxes, resins, or other
				inert materials and formed into particles; and
(IV) products containing water soluble
				nitrogen such as ureaform materials, ureaformaldehyde products, methylenediurea
				(MDU), dimethylenetriurea (DMTU), dicyanodiamide (DCD), etc. The terms, "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 show a testing
				program substantiating the claim (testing under guidance of Experiment Station
				personnel or a recognized reputable researcher acceptable to the department). A
				laboratory procedure, acceptable to the department for evaluating the release
				characteristics of the products(s) must also be provided by the
				manufacturer.
(C) Until
				more appropriate methods are developed, AOAC International Method 970.04 (15th
				Edition) is to be used to confirm the coated slow release and occluded slow
				release nutrients and others whose slow release characteristics depend on
				particle size. AOAC International Method 945.01 (15th Edition) shall be used to
				determine the water insoluble nitrogen or organic materials.