(1) This chapter and all rules adopted hereunder shall be administered and enforced by the department.
(2) The department may adopt rules to implement, make specific, and interpret the provisions of this chapter, and specifically to determine the composition and uses of fertilizer as defined in this chapter, including, but not limited to, the taking and handling of samples, the establishment of investigational allowances, deficiencies, matching criteria for referee analysis, and penalties where not specifically provided for in this chapter; to prohibit the sale or use in fertilizer of any material proven to be detrimental to agriculture, public health, or the environment, or of questionable value; to provide for the incorporation into fertilizer of such other substances as pesticides and proper labeling of such mixture; and to prescribe the information which shall appear on the label other than specifically set forth in this chapter.
(3) The department may establish by rule requirements governing aircraft used for the aerial application of fertilizers, including requirements for recordkeeping, annual aircraft registration, secure storage when not in use, area-of-application information, and reporting any sale, lease, purchase, rental, or transfer of such aircraft to another person.
(4) The department may establish by rule requirements governing the secure storage of fertilizers used by aerial fertilizer applicators.
(5)(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), the department has exclusive authority to regulate the sale, composition, packaging, labeling, wholesale and retail distribution, and formulation, including nutrient content level and release rates, of fertilizer. This subsection expressly preempts such regulation of fertilizer to the state.

Terms Used In Florida Statutes 576.181

  • Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or its authorized representatives. See Florida Statutes 576.011
  • Fertilizer: means any substance which:
    (a) Contains one or more recognized plant nutrients and promotes plant growth, or
    (b) Controls soil acidity or alkalinity, or
    (c) Provides other soil enrichment, or
    (d) Provides other corrective measures to the soil. See Florida Statutes 576.011
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Label: means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon the immediate container of any fertilizer or accompanying any fertilizer when moved in bulk. See Florida Statutes 576.011
  • Labeling: means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matters upon an article or any of its containers or wrappers accompanying such article. See Florida Statutes 576.011
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
(b) An ordinance regulating the sale of fertilizer adopted by a county or municipal government before July 1, 2011, is exempt from this subsection, and the county or municipal government may enforce such ordinance within its respective jurisdiction.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 576 Contents