By: Christian H.B. No. 1969
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the applicability of commercial fertilizer regulations
  to a substance containing animal manure or plant remains.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 63.001(8), (11), (12), and (16),
  Agriculture Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
               (8)  "Fertilizer material" means a solid or nonsolid
  substance or compound that contains an essential plant nutrient
  element in a form available to plants and is used primarily for its
  essential plant nutrient element content in promoting or
  stimulating growth of a plant or improving the quality of a crop or
  for compounding a mixed fertilizer. The term does not include [the
  excreta of an] animal manure, plant remains, or a mixture of those
  substances, for which no specific nutrient analysis claim indicates
  guaranteed nutrient levels [claim of essential plant nutrients is
  made].
               (11)  "Mixed fertilizer" means a solid or nonsolid
  product that results from the combination, mixture, or simultaneous
  application of two or more fertilizer materials by a manufacturer,
  processor, mixer, or contractor. The term may include a specialty
  fertilizer or manipulated manure, but does not include [the excreta
  of an] animal manure, plant remains, or a mixture of those
  substances, for which no specific nutrient analysis claim indicates
  guaranteed nutrient levels [claim of essential plant nutrients is
  made].
               (12)  "Manipulated manure" means a substance composed
  of [the excreta of an] animal manure, plant remains, or a mixture of
  those substances, for which a specific nutrient analysis claim
  indicates guaranteed nutrient levels [of essential plant nutrients
  is made].
               (16)  "Specialty fertilizer" means a fertilizer
  distributed primarily for nonfarm use, including use on or in home
  gardens, lawns, shrubbery, flowers, golf courses, municipal parks,
  cemeteries, greenhouses, or nurseries. The term does not include
  [the excreta of an] animal manure, plant remains, or a mixture of
  those substances, for which no specific nutrient analysis claim
  indicates guaranteed nutrient levels [claim of essential plant
  nutrients is made].
         SECTION 2.  Section 63.002(c), Agriculture Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  Animal manure [The excreta of an animal], plant remains,
  or mixtures of those substances[,] are not commercial fertilizers
  subject to this chapter if no specific nutrient analysis claim
  indicates guaranteed nutrient levels [claim of essential plant
  nutrients is made].
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.