Senate File 182 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY BOLKCOM
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to restrictions on the use of fertilizer
2 containing phosphorus on turf and making a penalty applicable.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2244SS 83
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 200.3, Code 2009, is amended by adding
1 2 the following new subsection:
1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 27A. "Turf" means noncrop land planted
1 4 with closely mowed, managed grasses including but not limited
1 5 to residential and commercial property, private golf courses,
1 6 and property owned by the state or a political subdivision of
1 7 the state including parks, recreation areas, and public golf
1 8 courses. "Turf" does not mean pasture, hay, turf grown on
1 9 turf farms, or any other form of agricultural production.
1 10 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 200.23 TURF FERTILIZER
1 11 RESTRICTIONS.
1 12 1. A person may apply a fertilizer containing phosphorus
1 13 to turf only under any of the following circumstances:
1 14 a. A tissue, soil, or other test by a laboratory or other
1 15 method approved by the secretary and performed within the
1 16 three years prior to application indicates that the level of
1 17 available phosphorus in the soil is insufficient to support
1 18 healthy turf growth.
1 19 b. The property owner or an agent of the property owner is
1 20 first establishing turf by seed or sod procedures. Fertilizer
1 21 containing phosphorus may only be applied during the first
1 22 growing season following the application of the seed or sod
1 23 procedure.
1 24 c. The fertilizer containing the phosphorus is used on
1 25 golf course turf under the direction of a person licensed,
1 26 certified, or approved by an organization with an ongoing turf
1 27 management training program approved by the secretary.
1 28 2. Applications of fertilizer containing phosphorus
1 29 pursuant to subsection 1 shall not exceed rates approved by
1 30 the secretary.
1 31 3. The secretary, in consultation with the Iowa
1 32 cooperative extension service in agriculture and home
1 33 economics, shall produce consumer information on restrictions
1 34 and recommended best practices for lawn fertilizer containing
1 35 phosphorus, and on best management practices for other
2 1 residential sources of phosphorus in the urban landscape. The
2 2 information must be in a format and of a content suitable for
2 3 posting and distribution at retail points of sale of
2 4 fertilizer that contains phosphorus and is for use on turf.
2 5 EXPLANATION
2 6 This bill relates to restrictions on the use of fertilizer
2 7 containing phosphorus on turf.
2 8 The bill allows a person to apply a fertilizer containing
2 9 phosphorus to turf only under three circumstances:
2 10 1. A tissue, soil, or other test by a laboratory or other
2 11 method approved by the secretary and performed within the
2 12 three years prior to application indicates that the level of
2 13 available phosphorus in the soil is insufficient to support
2 14 healthy turf growth.
2 15 2. The property owner is first establishing turf by seed
2 16 or sod procedures.
2 17 3. The fertilizer containing the phosphorus is used on
2 18 golf course turf under the direction of a person licensed,
2 19 certified, or approved by an organization with an ongoing turf
2 20 management training program approved by the secretary of
2 21 agriculture.
2 22 The bill provides that allowable applications of fertilizer
2 23 containing phosphorus shall not exceed rates approved by the
2 24 secretary of agriculture.
2 25 The bill requires the secretary of agriculture, in
2 26 consultation with the Iowa cooperative extension service in
2 27 agriculture and home economics, to produce consumer
2 28 information on restrictions and recommended best practices for
2 29 lawn fertilizer containing phosphorus, and on best management
2 30 practices for other residential sources of phosphorus in the
2 31 urban landscape.
2 32 The bill defines the term "turf" to mean noncrop land
2 33 planted with closely mowed, managed grasses including but not
2 34 limited to residential and commercial property, private golf
2 35 courses, and property owned by the state or a political
3 1 subdivision of the state including parks, recreation areas,
3 2 and public golf courses. "Turf" does not mean pasture, hay,
3 3 turf grown on turf farms, or any other form of agricultural
3 4 production.
3 5 A criminal penalty of a simple misdemeanor is applicable to
3 6 violations of the provisions of the bill. A simple
3 7 misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for not more than 30
3 8 days or a fine of at least $65 but not more than $625 or by
3 9 both.
3 10 LSB 2244SS 83
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