February 8, 2008 9:07 AM

State Regulation of Fertilizer? No Bull!

Lawmakers are shoveling some earthy bills this session.

Rep. Mary Hodge, D-Brighton, is sponsoring HB Bill 1231 that tightens the “regulation of fertilizer,” because of concerns about what contaminated or substandard manure could do to food crops grown in it.

It’s a serious “public safety” issue, Hodge said, explaining that state agriculture and health agencies requested the tougher fertilizer labeling and standards to protect food production.

Meanwhile, Rep. Ray Rose, R-Montrose, is pushing HB 1181 to prevent state agencies from buying adulterated compost.

Counterfeit compost producers have been "doing a lot of raw manure and mixing it in with something else," Rose said.

“If it isn’t decomposed and handled properly then it can’t be called compost. It’s just old leaves,” he added.

True compost, which is licensed by the state, not only commands a higher price and performs as advertised – it’s better for the environment, Rose said.

“This will ensure that state agencies are getting what they’re paying for.”

Come on, tell me you don’t want to know more?

“If the manure is not properly decomposed, then in some cases it's even hazardous to the environment, “ Rose said. "Because in many cases some of the animals don’t digest the noxious weed seeds that come through.” The result: Workers who use bogus compost to landscape Colorado highways could be sewing those noxious weeds far and wide and that “is hazardous to the environment,” he added. House colleagues clearly grasped the danger, voting 58-3 on final passage of the compost bill today. Just remember to buy the real stuff when planting your spring garden.

Posted by Alan Gathright at 9:07 AM | Comments (0)