Cal. Code Regs. tit. 3 § 2303

Current through Register 2025 Notice Reg. No. 2, January 10, 2025

Section 2303 - Labeling Requirements

The label information for fertilizing materials required by Section 14631 of the Food and Agricultural Code, shall include the following:

(a) Product name.

(b) Measurement.

(1) Net weight, of dry materials (not required for soil amendments). US and metric units are required on dry materials, except those distributed with a weight certificate.

(2) Volume of organic input material bulk soil amendments, packaged soil amendments, and liquid materials. US and metric units are required on organic input material bulk soil amendments, packaged soil amendments, and liquid materials, except those distributed with a weight certificate.

(3) Density, (pounds per gallon at 68 degrees Fahrenheit), for bulk liquids only.

(c) Grade (for commercial fertilizer labels only).

(d) The licensed label guarantor's name and address.

(1) For bulk commercial fertilizers and bulk agricultural minerals, (excluding organic input materials), the last licensee distributing the fertilizing material is required to be represented as the label guarantor.

(e) Purpose of the product (for auxiliary soil and plant substances, packaged agricultural minerals, packaged soil amendments, and specialty fertilizers).

(f) Directions for use (for auxiliary soil and plant substances, packaged agricultural minerals, packaged soil amendments, and specialty fertilizers).

(g) The statement "NONPLANT FOOD INGREDIENT" printed in capital letters (for auxiliary soil and plant substance products).

(h) A statement of composition showing the percent of each active ingredient, which is the agent in a product primarily responsible for the intended effects (for auxiliary soil and plant substances) using the following format:

NONPLANT FOOD INGREDIENT(S):

X% Humic Acids (state the source of the humic acids)

X% Polymers (state the name of the specific polymer)

X% Wetting Agents (state the name of the specific wetting agent)

(i) A guaranteed analysis using the following format, terminology, and order presented:

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

(1) Total Nitrogen (N)		__________%
__________%	Ammoniacal Nitrogen
__________%	Nitrate Nitrogen
__________%	Water Soluble Nitrogen or Other recognized and determinable forms of nitrogen
__________%	Water Insoluble Nitrogen
Available Phosphoric Acid (P₂O₅)		__________%
Soluble Potash (K₂O)		__________%
(2) Secondary and micronutrient guarantee minimums. (if claimed)
Calcium (Ca)		1.0000%
Magnesium (Mg)		0.5000%
Sulfur (S)		1.0000%
Boron (B)		0.0200%
Chlorine (Cl)		0.1000%
Cobalt (Co)		0.0005%
Copper (Cu)		0.0500%
__________% Chelated Copper
Iron (Fe)		0.1000%
__________% Chelated Iron
Manganese (Mn)		0.0500%
__________% Chelated Manganese
Molybdenum (Mo)		0.0005%
Sodium (Na)		0.1000%
Zinc (Zn)		0.0500%
__________% Chelated Zinc
(3) Liming material guarantees: (if claimed)
Compound(s) composing material ..............................		_____%
(state specific compounds)
Calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) .........................		_____%
Lime Score (BULK ONLY) ...................................		__________
Sieve Analysis (BULK ONLY)	Minimum % Passing:
10 mesh ............................................................	___%
20 mesh ............................................................	___%
40 mesh ............................................................	___%
60 mesh ............................................................	___%
100 mesh ............................................................	_____%
Moisture, maximum (BULK ONLY) ....................	_____%
(A) The Lime Score is a numerical expression of the quality of lime and shall be determined in accordance with the equations and calculations set forth in the Oregon State University Fertilizer Guide for Fertilizer and Lime Materials, FG 52, reprinted 1998, as revised June 1990, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
(4) Gypsum guarantees: (if claimed)
Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate
(CaSO₄·2H₂0)		________X%
Calcium (Ca)		________X%
Sulfur (S)		________X%
(5) Gypsum equivalent guarantees: (if claimed)
Gypsum Equivalent		________X%
Calcium (Ca)		________X%
Sulfur (S)		________X%
(6) Other guarantees: (if claimed, and approved by the secretary)

(j) A derivation statement directly following the last nutrient guarantee (for commercial fertilizers and agricultural mineral labels).

(1) Abbreviations shall not appear in the derivation statement, with the exception of chelating agents.

(2) For liming materials, the derivation statement shall follow the last guarantee.

(k) A list of ingredients in decreasing amounts present (for packaged soil amendments and organic input material bulk soil amendments).

(l) The following format and guarantees, as applicable for the following products or ingredients, shall appear after the derivation statement of agricultural mineral and commercial fertilizer labels:

ALSO CONTAINS NONPLANT FOOD INGREDIENT(S):

X% Humic Acids (state the source of the humic acids)

X% Polymers (state the name of the specific polymer -- required for auxiliary soil and plant substances only)

X% Wetting Agents (state the name of the specific wetting agent on company letterhead and note if confidential -- not required on the label)

(m) Additional information, other than secondary or micronutrient guarantees, shall not appear in the guaranteed analysis statement.

(n) The guarantees for the forms of nitrogen must add up to the total nitrogen guarantee claimed and are recommended in the order appearing in the format shown in section 2303(i)(1).

(o) Zeros are required before the decimal points when less than one percent.

(p) For packaged products, the information found in section 2303(a) through (o) shall either:

(1) Appear on the label, or

(2) Be printed on a tag and attached to the package. This information shall be in a conspicuous form.

(q) For bulk products, the information found in section 2303(a) through (o) shall be in written or printed form and shall accompany the delivery. This information shall be in a conspicuous form.

(r) The manufacturer of any base fertilizing material ingredient that claims iron, manganese, zinc or phosphates shall provide a guarantee statement that the product does not exceed standards established for arsenic, cadmium and lead.

(1) For purposes of the labeling guarantee, base fertilizing material ingredient shall be defined as phosphate, zinc, manganese, or iron products utilized singly or as material ingredient in blended or formulated fertilizing material products. Examples of such base fertilizing material ingredients include, but are not limited to, phosphoric acid, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, zinc from galvanizer skimmings, zinc from electric arc furnace dust, metallic zinc, refined zinc from the copper pickling process, zinc from circuit board recycling, iron II & III oxide, iron ore deposits, iron from recycling of bailing wire, rust or photographic operations, and manganese oxide.

(2) The guarantee statement shall report in parts per million the maximum total concentration of arsenic, cadmium and lead in the base fertilizing material ingredient.

(s) Packaged product labels for commercial fertilizer and agricultural mineral products, with guarantees of available phosphoric acid, iron, manganese, or zinc, which are derived from inorganic sources, shall include either an informational statement of laboratory test results or provide an informational statement providing the maximum levels in parts per million of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel and selenium.

(1) In lieu of a statement on the label, the information may be provided by either of the following statements:

"Information regarding the contents and levels of metals in this product is available by calling 1-800-XXX-XXXX."

"Information regarding the contents and levels of metals in this product is available on the Internet at http://www.regulatory-info-xx.com." Each registrant shall substitute a unique alphanumeric identifier for "xx". This statement may be used only if the licensee establishes and maintains the Internet site; there is a clearly visible, direct hyperlink to a government web site; and the Internet site contains no advertising or company-specific information. A government web site internet address on the label, or an address for a web site (such as the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials non-nutritive metals web site) that contains links to other state government non-nutritive metals information, is an acceptable alternative to a web site established and maintained by the licensee. All linked web sites shall contain no advertising or company-specific information.

(t) Testing methodology for the informational statement of laboratory test results shall conform to either sample preparation method 3050B or 3051 and conform to analysis methods as described in US EPA Publication SW-846 (Revision 3, December 1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference.

(1) The heavy metal testing results shall be no more than five (5) years old at the time of registration renewal approval.

(u) The publication of inaccurate information regarding the contents and levels of metals is a misbranding violation pursuant to Section 14681 of the Food and Agriculture Code.

(v) The secretary may accept definitions and official fertilizer terms listed in the most recent edition of the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials official publication.

(w) A copy of the heavy metals analysis for the nine metals described in Section 2303 (s) shall be submitted to the secretary for any label that contains a link to the California website for heavy metals (https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/fertilizerproducts/).

(x) The term "amino acid" or "amino" may be used as part of a product name under the following conditions:

(1) Specific amino acids are represented in the derivation statement and proof of purchase of each specific amino acid is submitted.

(2) Protein hydrolysate is represented in the derivation statement.

(A) Labeling claims are limited to statements within the definition provided in § 2300.1(m).

(y) The term "amino acid complex" or "(secondary nutrient or micronutrient) amino acid complex" may be used as part of a product name under the following conditions:

(1) "(Secondary nutrient or micronutrient) amino acid complex" is represented in the derivation statement.

(2) Only complexing agent claims appear on the label.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 2303

Note: Authority cited: Sections 407, 14502, 14601 and 14631, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Section 14631, Food and Agricultural Code.

1. Repealer and new section filed 8-2-91; operative 8-2-91 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 92, No. 7).
2. New subsections (r)-(v) filed 10-19-2001; operative 1-1-2002 (Register 2001, No. 42).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (t) filed 6-13-2002 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2002, No. 24).
4. Amendment of subsections (r)(1) and (s) filed 11-6-2003; operative 12-6-2003 (Register 2003, No. 45).
5. Amendment of subsection (l) and new subsection (w) filed 2-28-2012; operative 3-29-2012 (Register 2012, No. 9).
6. Amendment of subsections (b)-(b)(2), (e)-(f) and (h)-(l), repealer of subsection (u), subsection relettering, amendment of newly designated subsection (v) and amendment of Note filed 6-22-2017; operative 10/1/2017 (Register 2017, No. 25).
7. Amendment of subsections (i)(1) and (v) filed 4-13-2020; operative 4/13/2020 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2020, No. 16).
8. Amendment of subsections (s) and (s)(1) and new subsections (t)(1) and (w) filed 5-4-2020; operative 7/1/2020 (Register 2020, No. 19).
9. Amendment of subsection (d), new subsection (d)(1), amendment of subsection (i)(3) and new subsection (i)(3)(A) filed 9-29-2022; operative 1/1/2023 (Register 2022, No. 39).
10. Amendment of subsection (d)(1) and new subsections (x)-(y)(2) filed 7-1-2024; operative 10/1/2024 (Register 2024, No. 27).