T-4-106 - Organic Fertilizers Under the Fertilizers Act

December 2009

The following definitions and interpretations are provided in order to assist you in identifying the information contained in the Fertilizers Act and Regulations that is applicable to fertilizers containing organic materials.

1. Product Names

Schedule II of the Fertilizers Regulations defines a number of nutrient sources such as bone meal, fish meal, manure, blood meal, etc. Any product having the composition of an ingredient described in Schedule II must be named accordingly. These products must also meet the standards specified in these definitions.

2. Descriptive Terms

a) Organic

Section 2 of the Fertilizers Regulations defines "organic matter" as the partially humified remains of animals and plants. For this reason, only products that are solely derived from organic matter may be identified or described as "organic". If the product contains at least 15% organic matter however, it may be described as "organic based". In both instances the analysis must carry a guarantee for the minimum amount of organic matter.

b) Natural

The same rationale described for "organic" applies to the term "natural". Materials that are directly mined from mineral deposits and only subjected to physical processes such as crushing and drying may be described as "derived from naturally occurring sources/deposits". Examples of these materials may include: phosphate rock; greensand; sulphate of potassium-magnesia that has been derived from ores that have been crushed, washed in water, dried and screened; and potassium sulphate from sources such as the natural brines of Great Salt Lake, Utah and Searles Lake in California where purification depends upon solar evaporation and natural crystallization in ponds.

c) Environmentally Beneficial

Any product represented as "environmentally sound", etc. must identify the rationale for the claim and list all ingredients in order to allow the consumer to determine the validity of the statement.

d) Miscellaneous Terms

Words, such as balanced and healthy, should be avoided as they are often misunderstood and consequently misleading. Also objectionable are comparatives such as best, superior, and greener, as they imply a comparison without indicating the basis of this comparison.

3. Claims

a) Slowly Available Plant Nutrients

Only products providing at least 25% of a plant nutrient in a slowly available form may indicate this on the label. Such a claim must be accompanied by the associated guarantee. (Sections 17 and 15).

e.g. Total Nitrogen (N)…10%

4% Nitrogen from Water Insoluble Nitrogen

b) Low Leaching Potential

Only products containing at least 25% of a nutrient in a slowly available form may indicate that nutrient will be slowly available and thus unlikely to leach when used in accordance with label instructions (Section 17).

c) Improving Soil Structure

In order to suggest that the use of an organic or organic based product will improve the structure of a soil, it must be recommended for use at rates that could be expected to significantly increase the organic matter level of the soil.

d) Testimonials/Endorsements

The public has no way of evaluating the status of the endorser in relation to a product. For this reason, testimonials and endorsements will be viewed as claims and evaluated accordingly.

e) Other Claims

Any reference to the activity of a product containing plant nutrients that is not generally associated with its nutritional value must be substantiated with statistically significant efficacy data derived from Canadian field trials. Such a product is considered a supplement under the Fertilizers Act and consequently requires registration.

4. Nutrient Guarantees

Any product represented as a source of plant nutrients must carry a guaranteed analysis in accordance with Section 15 of the Fertilizers Regulations. Lesser Plant Nutrients must not be identified and guaranteed if they are not present in at least the following minimum concentrations:

Element Percent
Minimum Guarantee
Calcium(Ca) 1.0000
Magnesium (Mg) 0.5000
Sulfur (S)   1.0000
Boron (B)    0.0200
Copper (Cu) 0.0500
Iron (Fe) 0.1000
Manganese (Mn)  0.0500
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.0005
Zinc (Zn) 0.0500

5. Directions for Use

All specialty fertilizers must carry instructions for use (Section 16). These instructions must specify both the rate and frequency of application. Suggested rates of application must provide an adequate quantity of nutrients to the plants concerned.

Where the product does not contain all 3 major plant nutrients, the label should carry a statement indicating that some plants may require an additional source of the nutrient(s) that are lacking.

6. Safety

Any product containing composted materials, or plant nutrients may represent a potential hazard when misused. In order to avoid giving the impression that reasonable precautions are unnecessary, blanket statements suggesting that the product is completely safe and non-toxic to humans, animals or the environment must not appear on the label.

Imported fertilizers containing materials of animal and plant origin are subject to the provisions of the Health of Animals Act and the Plant Protection Act. The Animal Health and Production Division and the Plant Health Division are responsible for issuing import permits for these products.

If you have any further questions, please contact:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Plant Health and Biosecurity Directorate
Crop Inputs Division
Fertilizer Section
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0Y9
Canada
Telephone: 613-773-7189
Facsimile: 613-773-7163