The following summary sets forth the standard label requirements for soil/plant amendment products provided in the Guaranteed Analysis Statute. (Minn. Stat. 18C.211) and the Authority and Purpose in Minnesota Rules (1510.0430 to 1510.0434A):
- A person may not sell or distribute soil/plant amendment products in bags or other containers unless a label is placed on or affixed to the bag or container stating in a clear, legible, and conspicuous form the information below.
- If the soil or plant amendment is sold in bulk the information must be supplied to the purchaser in written or printed form.
Required Label Information
A soil and plant amendment label must include:
- The Brand Name of the soil/plant amendment.
- A soil/plant amendment Guaranteed Analysis statement in the following format:
|
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS |
|---|
|
AMENDMENT INGREDIENTS |
|
INERT INGREDIENTS |
| Guaranteed Analysis Statement Requirements |
|
|
(Minimum number) viable (name of organism) per gram or per milliliter. |
- The Name and Address of the Guarantor. If more than one address is listed, the guarantor must be clearly identified.
- A Net Weight statement. A net volume statement will be accepted in lieu of the net weight only if the density (lb/US gal, lb/L) is also listed.
- A Directions for Use Statement. This may be expressed as the amount (e.g. ounces, pounds) of product recommended to be applied per unit area (e.g. 1,000 sq. ft., acre) or the area the entire contents of the container will cover.
- A statement of the soil/plant amendment’s purpose or proposed use.
The preceding specifications are the minimum requirements to be placed on a soil/plant amendment product label. If additional information is provided on the label, further labeling requirements may be enforced. Therefore, we suggest you contact us for a label review prior to final printing. Further, we recommend that you review Minnesota Rules, 1510.0430, 1510.0431, 1510.0432, 1510.0433 and 1510.0434 (the Soil/Plant Amendment Labeling Rules) prior to printing the label.
Product Label Claims
If there are claims of benefit on the product label that are beyond what would normally be expected for a product with the particular mode of action and at the same concentrations, the MDA can require the company to submit data* to substantiate the claims.
- A statement suggesting the product is safe and nontoxic to humans, animals, or the environment is a misbranding of the product and must not appear on the label.
- Claims for plant nutrients must be guaranteed.
- Accepted compost claims are listed in the Overview of laws and regulations related to distribution of compost in Minnesota.
*Acceptable as authentic experimental scientific evidence or university research data is research from such organizations as Land Grant universities, USDA and other reputable research organizations. The experimental evidence must relate to conditions in this state (environmental, application rates, soil etc.) for which the product is intended and must correspond to the actual product intended to be registered or sold needing a registration. The research report(s) must include at a minimum the materials and methods, results, an appropriate statistical analysis and discussion.
Product Label Review
Applicants are encouraged to submit product labels for review by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) prior to submission of the registration application. Doing so helps to expedite the processing of applications by addressing any label issues early in the process. Early review also benefits registrants by offering feedback while labels are in development and can be easily revised prior to printing if necessary. Labels can be submitted for review via email (preferred) or US mail.
Email: Lorinda.Balfanz@state.mn.us
US Mail: Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Attn: Lorinda Balfanz
625 Robert Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55155-2538
