Florida Senate - 2009                                    SB 1490
       
       
       
       By Senator Pruitt
       
       
       
       
       28-01385-09                                           20091490__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to fertilizer application; providing
    3         definitions; limiting the amount of fertilizer
    4         containing phosphorus that may be applied to urban
    5         turf on or after a certain date; providing an
    6         effective date.
    7         
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9         
   10         Section 1. Urban turf fertilizers.—
   11         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   12         (a) “No-phosphate fertilizer” or “no-phosphorus fertilizer”
   13  means fertilizer that contains less than 0.5 percent phosphate
   14  by weight.
   15         (b) “Urban turf” means noncropland planted, mowed, and
   16  managed grasses, including, but not limited to, residential
   17  lawns; turf on commercial property; filter strips; turf on
   18  property owned by federal, state, or local governments and other
   19  public lands, including roadways, roadsides, parks, campsites,
   20  recreation areas, school grounds, and other public grounds. The
   21  term does not include pastures, hay production and grazing land,
   22  turf grown on sod farms, or any other form of agricultural
   23  production; golf courses or sports turf fields; or garden
   24  fruits, flowers, or vegetables.
   25         (c) “Soil test” means a test performed on soil planted or
   26  sodded, or that will be planted or sodded, by a laboratory
   27  approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
   28  and performed within the last 2 years to indicate if the level
   29  of available phosphorus in the soil is sufficient to support
   30  healthy turf growth.
   31         (d) “Tissue test” means a test performed on plant tissue
   32  growing in the soil planted or sodded, or that will be planted
   33  or sodded, by a laboratory approved by the Department of
   34  Agriculture and Consumer Services, and performed within the last
   35  2 years to indicate if the level of available phosphorus in the
   36  soil is sufficient to support healthy turf.
   37         (2) Other than no-phosphate and no-phosphorus fertilizers,
   38  fertilizer containing phosphorus may not be applied to urban
   39  turf anywhere in this state on or after July 1, 2011, unless a
   40  soil or tissue test that is conducted pursuant to a method
   41  approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
   42  indicates:
   43         (a) For turf that is being initially established by seed or
   44  sod, the level of available phosphorus is insufficient to
   45  establish new turf growth and a root system. However, during the
   46  first year, only a one-time application of up to 1 pound of
   47  phosphate per 1,000 square feet of area may be applied.
   48         (b) For established turf, the level of available phosphorus
   49  is insufficient to support healthy turf growth. However, no more
   50  than 0.25 pound of phosphate per 1,000 square feet of area per
   51  each application may be applied, not to exceed 0.5 pound of
   52  phosphate per 1,000 square feet of area per year.
   53         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.