A hearing was held Tuesday February 4th for SB 747, it would require every landowner in the state with more than 200 acres of irrigated agricultural land to register and annually report fertilizer use, with a goal of having the Oregon Department of Agriculture “identify persons who are over applying fertilizer” and impose civil penalties for violations.

 

Agricultural groups have NOT been engaged on this bill. Nearly 100 letters were submitted in opposition as of Thursday, February 6. Oregon Seed Council Executive Director Megan Chuinard submitted written testimony on behalf of Oregon Seed Council.

 

“The bill was crafted without intimate knowledge of the agriculture industry. There is no universal or standardized guidance on fertilizer application. This bill does not recognize that fertilizer rates, needs, and application will vary year-to-year, by soil-type, and are dependent upon the crop being grown,” she stated in her testimony.

 

“In addition, fertilizer inputs are expensive, and our farmers are producing products for food and fiber on tight margins. There is no incentive for growers to oversupply inputs, and as stewards of the land, they work diligently to ensure the health and viability of their crops, soils, water quality, and the overall health of the environment. Their land is their livelihood.”

 

Oregon Seed Council Immediate Past President and current Government Affairs Committee Co-Chair, Kate Hartnell testified virtually on behalf of Oregon Seed Council.

 

“Requiring producers to report raw fertilizer use data disregards the complexity of applications, creating a misleading narrative that application rates as a stand alone data point can clarify what ‘overapplication’ is,” Hartnell stated.

 

“It is disappointing to see that this measure was drafted without consultation of the industry it proposes to regulate.”

 

“Our members work closely with Oregon State University, the United States Department of Agriculture, agronomists, and other experts on research, for trials, and for support on a number of agronomic needs, including the application of fertilizer.”

 

Legislators that are members of the agricultural community also testified: including Representative Shelly Boshart Davis, Representative Bobby Levy, and Representative Anna Scharf.

 

Those who testified in opposition made a strong case that rates alone cannot determine overapplication, and there is no standardized guidance on rates based on the variety of factors that impact nutrient needs and uptake. The bill as drafted reflects a lack of understanding of both crop nutrition science and groundwater impacts. Two-hundred acres is an arbitrary number with no connection to data or evidence. The proposal, if passed would likely be a multi-million-dollar program that would not yield the information proponents are seeking. For effective policy, stakeholders and experts in the field should be included in policy discussions.

 

Additional information and video of the hearing will be available here.

 

Contributed by: Mandy Vanderpool, Oregon Seed Council Intern