Code of Maine Rules
01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL
Chapter 350 - REGULATIONS UNDER THE MAINE COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER LAW
Section 001-350-1 - DEFINITIONS

1. "Biosolids" means a primary organic solid material produced by wastewater treatment processes that can be beneficially recycled for its plant nutrient content and soil amending characteristics. Biosolids also include "Sludge" as defined in 38 M.R.S. §1303-C(28-A).

2. "Coated Slow Release Fertilizer" means a product containing sources of water soluble nutrients, release of which in the soil is controlled by a coating applied to the fertilizer.

3. "Commercial Value Found" means the number determined by the sum obtained from adding the percentage of Total Nitrogen (N), Available Phosphate (P2O5) and Soluble Potash (K2O).

4. "Commercial Value Guaranteed" means the number determined by the sum obtained from adding the percentage guaranteed of Total Nitrogen, Available Phosphate (P2O5) and Soluble Potash (K2O).

5. "Fertilizer Grade" means the minimum guarantee of available plant food expressed in terms of total Nitrogen (not ammonia), Available Phosphate and Soluble Potash. The values for Total Nitrogen (N), Available Phosphate (P2O5) and Soluble Potash (K2O), expressed as the grade must coincide with the guaranteed analysis statement. Only one set of values may be used in the grade designation and with the exception of Specialty Fertilizer, the grade must be expressed in whole numbers.

6. "Guarantee" means Guaranteed Analysis.

7. "Guaranteed Analysis" means the minimum percentage of Total Nitrogen (N), available Phosphate (expressed as percent P2O5), water soluble Potassium (expressed as percent K2O) and other nutrients present in quantities that conform to Chapter 350 section III.

8. "Investigation Allowance" means an allowance for variations inherent in the taking, preparation and analysis of an official sample of fertilizer.

9. "Lot" means an identifiable quantity of fertilizer that can be sampled officially according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) International procedures, up to and including a freight car load or 50 tons maximum, or that amount contained in a single vehicle, or that amount delivered under a single invoice.

10. "Overall Index Value" means the value obtained from the calculation: (Commercial Value Found) x 100/(Commercial Value Guaranteed).

11. "Primary Nutrients" means the following plant foods: Nitrogen (N); Available Phosphate (P2O5); and Soluble Potash (K2O).

12. "Secondary and Micro Plant Nutrients" means those nutrients, other than primary nutrients, that are essential for the normal growth of plants and that may need to be added to the growth medium. Secondary plant nutrients include calcium, magnesium, sulfur, molybdenum, nickel, sodium and zinc.

13. "Slow release" or "controlled release" means a fertilizer containing a plant nutrient in a form which delays its availability for plant uptake and use after application, or which extends its availability to the plant significantly longer than a reference "rapidly available nutrient fertilizer" such as ammonium nitrate or urea, ammonium phosphate, or potassium chloride. Such delay of initial availability or extended time of continued availability may occur by a variety of mechanisms. These mechanisms may include controlled water solubility of the material (by semi permeable coatings, occlusion, or by inherent water insolubility of polymers, natural nitrogenous organics, protein materials, or other chemical forms), by slow hydrolysis of water soluble low molecular weight compounds, or by other means.

14. "Specialty Fertilizer" means a fertilizer that is distributed for non-farm use. Specialty fertilizers may be guaranteed in fractional units of less than one percent of total nitrogen, available phosphate, and soluble potash: provided, further, that fertilizer materials, bone meal, manures, and similar materials may be guaranteed in fractional units.

15. "Unit" means twenty (20) pounds of plant food or one percent (1%) of a ton.

16. "Waste Material" means material defined as "hazardous matter", "hazardous substance", "hazardous waste", "residual", "septage" or "solid waste" in federal, state and local laws, including, but not limited to the Maine Hazardous Waste, Septage and Solid Waste Management Act, 38 M.R.S. § 1301et seq.; the Maine Hazardous Matter Control Act, 38 M.R.S. § 1317et seq.; and the Maine Uncontrolled Hazardous Substance Sites Law, 38 M.R.S. § 1361et seq.; as well as the rules promulgated under these statutes.