extension and advisory services, supporting academic and research institutions, actors in the nutrient recycling industry, civil society and end-users can contribute to this goal by following or adhering to the guidelines and recommendations provided. WHAT IS A FERTILIZER? When using the term ‘fertilizer’ we refer to a chemical or natural substance or material that is used to provide nutrients to plants, usually via application to the soil, but also to foliage or through water in rice systems, fertigation or hydroponics or aquaculture operations. Thus, multiple nutrient types and sources are considered within this Fertilizer Code including: chemical and mineral fertilizers; organic fertilizers such as livestock manures and composts; and sources of recycled nutrients such as wastewater, sewage sludge and digestates. Scope, Goals, and Objectives The International Code of Conduct for the Use and Management of Fertilizers is a set of agreed-upon expectations for behavior by various stakeholders for the use and management of plant nutrients. This Fertilizer Code is addressed to governments, policy makers, the fertilizer industry, academia, research, agricultural and analytical service laboratories, agricultural extension and advisory services, civil society and users of fertilizers, including farmers. The intent of the Fertilizer Code is to assist countries in the establishment of systems for monitoring the production, trade, distribution, quality, management and use of fertilizers to achieve sustainable agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting integrated, efficient and effective use of quality fertilizers with the following outcomes:
Fertilizer use and management Proper management and use of fertilizers is the responsible handling, storage, transportation, and application of fertilizers with the express goal of enhancing plant growth or attributes (nutritional content, color, flavor, and so on) to maintain or improve soil health and minimize any potential environmental impacts. Fertilizer nutrients that are not taken up by plants or retained in soils may be transported to waterways, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, causing eutrophication and deterioration of water quality. Leaching of mobile forms of nitrogen to water used for human consumption has potential human health impacts. Excess nutrients may also be released from soils to the atmosphere through ammonia volatilization or as greenhouse gas emissions of nitrous oxide. In addition, excess fertilizer use and losses of nutrients due to the misuse of fertilizers can lower profits of farmers and in some cases can lead to crop failure. Insufficient use of fertilizers entails adding nutrients at levels below crop requirement and results in opportunity costs for yield potential, nutritional content, return of carbon to the soil, and enhancement of soil health as well as net nutrient removal from the soil system. A holistic approach must be taken when developing and implementing best management practices for fertilizer use recognizing that practices to reduce the negative impacts from one nutrient may increase the negative impacts from other nutrients. In this case, the best management practices that produce the most positive overall effect should be adopted. Misuse of fertilizers can involve, but is not limited to: Over or excessive use, that is, the application of one or more plant nutrients to the soil, foliage or water that would not reasonably be expected to produce a