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Florida Upholds Seasonal Ban on Fertilizer Use
PHOTO CREDITS: SARASOTA COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE
contractors to have municipal fertil- izer restrictions removed have failed after a state senate committee vot- ed 4-3 to maintain current laws re- garding fertilizer application.
E Fertilizer restrictions have been adopt-
ed in 64 Florida local governments to keep nutrients from washing into local water- ways during the rainy season. The Senate bill would have allowed landscapers certi- fied through fertilizer application train- ing to ignore these local bans. Jim Spratt, the FNGLA Director of Gov-
ernment Affairs, told LC/DBM the asso- ciation's contention is that when debating this issue, everything needs to be based on science.
fforts by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape As- sociation (FNGLA) and local
Fertilizer restrictions have been adopted in 64 Florida local governments to keep fertilizer from washing into local waterways during the rainy season. An attempt to modify these restrictions has failed in the state legislature.
"We have seen some local municipali-
ties implementing fertilizer blackout pe- riods during the rainy season, which is in the summer, when plants most need fertil- izer," he said. Spratt said he understands the inten-
tion of the laws prohibiting fertilizer use but added the rules are hurting landscape contractors. "Trained professionals should be treated
differently than homeowners," he said. During debate on the bill, the Environ-
mental Preservation and Conservation Committee faced strong opposition from local governments proud of their ordi- nances and concerned about a decline in tourism because of poor water quality. Spratt said much of the debate focused
on the black-out periods rather than the science behind fertilizer use. "This was disappointing because it be-
came a roadblock in the legislature," he said. Spratt said the FNGLA is not giv- ing up on this issue, noting that the asso- ciation will keep working to get relief for landscape contractors.
Fertilizer Use Prohibited in Eleven States
Eleven states have laws banning the use of
phosphorus fertilizers year-round, with the following exemptions.
s )LLINOIS n Golf courses; Commercial and Sod farms; Agricultural lands and production; Right- of-ways; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf; Lawn repair.
s -AINE Agriculture; Phos- phorus deficiency; Estab- lish new turf; Sod farms; Turf repair; Gardening
s -ARYLAND Agricultural purposes; Commercial and Sod farms; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf; Turf repair.
s -ICHIGAN Golf courses; Commercial farm land; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf.
s -INNESOTA Golf cours- es; Sod farms; Agricultural lands and production; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf.
s .EW *ERSEY Golf courses; Commercial Farms; Phosphorus defi-
ciency; Establish new turf; Turf repair.
s .EW 9ORK Gardens; Agricultural lands and production; Sod farms; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf.
s 6ERMONT Golf courses; Sod farms; Agricultural lands and production; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf.
s 6IRGINIA Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf; Turf repair; Agricul- tural use; Gardening; Golf courses management plan.
s 7ASHINGTON Establish new turf; Turf repair; Phosphorus deficiency; Gardens; Sod farms; Agricultural land or production.
s 7ISCONSIN Sod farms; Agricultural land and production; Phosphorus deficiency; Establish new turf.
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