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Essential quality and labelling requirements

Fertilisers Working Group meeting

2 June 2014

This revised presentation contains the latest contributions received from Member States and industry. It does not commit

the EU Commission

Essential Quality requirements

- One MS mentioned that accepting low nutrient products would lead to increased levels of contaminants in soils as the amount of fertilising materials required would increase-Other Member States insisted that the minimum nutrient content of inorganic fertilisers is set low enough so as not to exclude niche products. Farmers will be able to differentiate products for the professional market from products intended for consumer market.-

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Essential Quality requirements

- Product categorisation for organic-based products should be based on product weight not dry matter to ensure coherent classification (See for example ECOFI contribution)- Quality requirements should avoid for the same material to be find into several categories. A clear threshold should help the user understand the utility of the products.

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Inorganic fertiliser – Minimum nutrient content (Green = new suggestions)

A. Solid primary and secondary inorganic fertilisers

Minimum nutrient content on commercialised product (individual value qualifies the product as an inorganic fertiliser)

PS: obligation to declare secondary nutrients in primary nutrients (See art 17 + presentation on labelling)

N total: 2 %P2O5 total : 1%Min solubility levels for P forms?Water-soluble K2O: 1,5%Water soluble MgO: 1,5%Water soluble CaO:1,5%Water –soluble SO3: 1,5%Na to be considered?

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Inorganic fertiliser – Minimum nutrient content

B. Fluid primary and secondary inorganic fertilisers

Minimum nutrient content on commercialised products (individual value qualifies the product as an inorganic fertiliser)

PS: obligation to declare secondary nutrients in primary nutrients (See art 17 + presentation on labelling)

N total: 1%P2O5 total :0,3%Min solubility levels for P forms?Water-soluble K2O : 0,5%Water soluble Mg:1%Water soluble Ca:1%Water –soluble S:1%Na to be considered?

Fertilisers containing only one micro-nutrient

• Minimum requirements for:I. Micronutrient saltsII. Micronutrient oxydeIII. Micronutrient chelateIV. Micronutrient complexV. Micronutrient suspensionVI. Micronutrient solution

• Possible for Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn for which harmonised rules have already been adopted. What about B and Mb?

• Can experts provide suggestions on possible generic quality criteria for fertilisers containing only one micro-nutrient?

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Minimum micro-nutrient content in …(refer to the existing tables of Section E)

Table E.2.1. Solid or fluid mixtures of micro-nutrient fertilisers, percentage weight of fertiliser

Table E.2.2. Primary and/or secondary nutrient(s) with micro-nutrient(s) applied to the soil, percentage weight of fertiliser.Table E.2.3. Primary and/or secondary nutrient(s) with micro-nutrient(s) for leaf sprays, percentage weight of fertiliser.

COM : can we simplify by proposing an unique minimum content for micronutrients in mixtures?

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Inorganic fertilisers – technical characteristics to be labelled(1)

Forms of nitrogen in inorganic fertilisers if present (expressed in % of the product as received)

Total nitrogen

Nitric nitrogen

Ammoniacal nitrogen

Ureic nitrogen

Nitrogen from urea formaldehyde, isobutylidene diurea, crotonylidene diurea

Nitrogen from acetylene diurea

Cyanamide nitrogen

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Inorganic fertilisers – technical characteristics to be labelled(2)

Forms of P and K in inorganic fertilisers if present (expressed in % of the product as received)

Total phosphorus -phosphorus in mineral acid

Water-soluble phosphorus

Phosphorus soluble in formic acid (specific to soft ground phosphate)

Phosphorus soluble in neutral ammonium citrate

Water-soluble K

Inorganic fertilisers – technical characteristics to be labelled (3)

1. - Water-soluble and total secondary nutrient content (percentage on the product as received)

2. - Total and water-soluble forms of micro-nutrients must be declared if added intentionally (percentage on the product as received)

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Thresholds for declaration of forms of secondary nutrients

• WG1 recommendation: current rules shall continue to apply

• Art 17: Ca,Mg, S and Na must be declared if above a given threshold

• Art 18 of the current Fertilisers Regulation: the declaration of the secondary nutrients shall be expressed in the total content and the content soluble in water where the soluble content is a quarter of the total content.

• DE: elemental S (organic S compounds) shall be declared on top of total and water-soluble S

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Thresholds for declaration of micro-nutrients

• WG1 recommendation: current rules shall continue to apply

• Art. 6.6 of the current Fertilisers Regulation: the total content shall be declared and the water-soluble content is declared where the soluble content is at least half of the total content.

• As regards mixtures of micro-nutrients, the minimum limit values for the declaration of the total micro-nutrient content as set out in COM Regulation (EC) No 223/2012 shall continue to apply.

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Inorganic fertilisers – Compulsory identification

• Identification of the product category + differentiation between complex, blended and coated fertilisers

• The quantity (in weight or volume)• The relevant technical characteristics of inorganic

fertiliser (see tables above)• The batch identification code• Guidelines for the safe handling (Provisions of the CLP

legislation, where applicable) and use (including possible limitation of use in accordance with MS provisions)

• Where relevant, a statement about the suitability – or not - of the product for particular plant groups

• The name and the address of the manufacturer or importer• Presence of biuret, Cl above a given threshold

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Inorganic fertiliser – Optional identification

• Trade name of the product• Granulometry ?• Recommended conditions of storage and the

recommended ‘use by’ date (expiry date).

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Organic fertilisers – Quality requirements – Option A

Minimum organic matter content (expressed on dry matter)

No mimimum organic matter content

Minimum nutrient content on dry matter for solid fertilisers(individual values qualifies the product as organic fertiliserMinimum nutrient content on commercialised products for fluid fertilisers (individual values qualifies the product as organic fertiliser

N total: 1,5%N org: 0,5%?P2O5 total: 0,5%Water-soluble K2O: 0,75%

N total: 1%N org:0,3%?P2O5 total :0,3%Water-soluble K2O : 0,5%

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Solid Organic fertilisers – Quality requirements. Expressed as % of the total packaged weight – OPTION B

Min dry matter content 40%

Min Corg 15%

Min Norg 2%

Min N total 2,5%

Min P2O5 total 2%

Min K2O water-soluble 2%

Min Granulometry for powder form

At least 90% able to pass through a 10 mm sieve

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Liquid Organic fertilisers – Quality requirements - Expressed as % of the total packaged weight – Option B

Min dry matter content No minimum

Min Corg 5%

Min Norg 1%

Min N total 2%

Min P2O5 total 1%

Min K2O water-soluble 2%

Min Granulometry for powder form

Not applicable

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Organic fertilisers – technical characteristicsTotal nitrogen (expressed in % of the product as received)

Ammoniacal nitrogen

Ureic nitrogen

P soluble in mineral acid

Total and water-soluble K

Water-soluble Mg above 2% of the commercial productIs there a need to label the water soluble content of other secondary nutrients in organic fertilisers?

Cu and Zn if above 200 and 600 mg/kg d.m

Water-soluble content of micro-nutrients above 0,1% of the commercial product

Corg/Norg ratio

Organic matter content (%)

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Organic fertilisers – Compulsory identification• Identification of the product category • The quantity (in weight or volume)• The relevant technical characteristics of organic fertiliser

(see table above)• The batch identification code• Guidelines for the safe handling (where applicable) and use

(including possible limitation of use in accordance with MS provisions)

• Where relevant, a statement about the suitability – or not - of the product for particular plant groups

• The name and the address of the manufacturer or importer and

• Main constituents above 5% by weight of the final product in descending order of importance (may be expressed in general terms animal by-product, by-product from the agro-food industry…)

• Responsible person (manufacturer, importer, distributor): name and address

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Organic fertiliser – Optional identification

• Trade name of the product• Granulometry ?• Recommended conditions of storage and the

recommended ‘use by’ date.

Organo-mineral fertilisers – Quality criteria (ECOFI) (% on the weight of products)

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Parameter Solid OM Liquid OM

Dry matter > 60 No minimum

C org 7,5 4

N total 2,5 2

N org 1 0,5

P2O5 total 2 2

K2O water soluble 2 2

Complex fertiliser? An additional quality requirement is needed to differentiate OM fertilisers from mere blends

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Organo-mineral fertilisers – technical characteristics

Forms of nutrients in organic fertilisers to be declared if present (expressed in % of the product as received)

C org

N total

N org

P2O5 total

K2O total

Cu and Zn if above 200 and 600 mg/kg d.m

Humic/fulvic acid content (ISO std in development)

Corg/Norg

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Organo-mineral fertilisers – Compulsory identification

• Identification of the product category • The quantity (in weight or volume)• The relevant technical characteristics of organo-mineral

fertiliser• The batch identification code• Guidelines for the safe handling (Provisions of the CLP

legislation, where applicable) and use (including possible limitation of use in accordance with MS provisions)

• Where relevant, a statement about the suitability – or not - of the product for particular plant groups

• The name and the address of the manufacturer or importer• Main constituents above 5% by weight of the final product in

descending order of importance (may be expressed in general terms)

• Responsible person (manufacturer, importer, distributor): name and address

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Organo-mineral fertiliser – Optional identification

• Trade name of the product• Granulometry• Recommended conditions of storage and the

recommended ‘use by’ date.

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Liming materials – minimum quality requirements

• Minimum NV : 15 -> 25 (equivalent CaO)9 -> 15 (equivalent

HO-)• Minimum reactivity:10• Determined on dry matter to not exclude sugar

factory lime

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Liming materials – Parameters to be declared

Quality criteria on the products as received

Comments

Neutralising value Mandatory declaration

Fineness by dry or wet sieving

Mandatory declaration. Percentage of product passing through a determined sieve

Total Ca (%) Mandatory declaration

Total Mg (%) Mandatory declaration where relevant

Reactivity (%) Mandatory declaration for carbonate limes (EN 16357 or EN 13971) and limes from industrial by-products (slags –EN 13971)EN 14984 incubation – optionalNo reactivity determination for reactive products

Moisture (%) For natural limes and oxide and hydroxide limes

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Liming materials – Compulsory identification

• Identification of the product category • The quantity (in weight or volume)• The relevant technical characteristics of liming materials (

e.g. granulometry)• The batch identification code• Guidelines for the safe handling (Provisions of the CLP

legislation, where applicable) and use (including possible limitation of use in accordance with MS provisions)

• Where relevant, a statement about the suitability – or not - of the product for particular plant groups

• The name and the address of the manufacturer or importer• Main constituents above 5% by weight of the final product in

descending order of importance • Responsible person (manufacturer, importer, distributor): name

and address

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Liming materials – Optional identification

• Trade name of the product• Recommended conditions of storage and the

recommended ‘use by’ date.

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Organic soil improver – Quality criteria (EU EoW) – mulches covered

Minimum organic matter content (expressed on dry matter)

15%. Too low !

Stability indexFigures proposed in the EU EoW are different for compost and digestate

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Minimum dry matter 40%

Minimum Corg content (on total packaged weight)

9%

Maximum nutrient content (on total packaged weight)

< N tot:2,5%<P2O5tot: 2%K2O water-soluble: 2%

Min granulometry for powder form (on total packaged weight)

At least 90% of the product should pass a 10 mm sieve

Current Industry proposal

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Organic soil improver – Criteria to be declared

Labelling criteria (expressed on the product as received)

pH

Organic matter content (%) or organic C content (%)?

Neutralising value (where relevant)

Total nitrogen (%)

Total phosphorus (%)

Total potassium (%)

Dry matter content (%)

Electrical conductivity (mS/m)

C/N ratio (where relevant – EBA against mandatory labelling)

Quantity/ Volume

Organic soil improver – Criteria to be declared

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Labelling criteria (expressed on the product as received unless mentioned otherwise)

Total Mg content

Cu if > 200 mg/kg d.m

Zn if > 600 mg/kg d.m

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Organic Soil improver – Compulsory identification

• Identification of the product category • The quantity (in weight or volume)• The relevant technical characteristics of soil improver• The batch identification code• Guidelines for the safe handling (where applicable) and use

(including possible limitation of use in accordance with MS provisions)

• Where relevant, a statement about the suitability – or not - of the product for particular plant groups

• The name and the address of the manufacturer or importer• The main constituents above 5% by weight of the final

product in descending order of importance (may be expressed in general terms)

• Responsible person (manufacturer, importer, distributor): name and address

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Organic Soil improver – Optional identification

• Trade name of the product• Recommended conditions of storage and the

recommended ‘use by’ date.• Granulometry for compost

Other soil improver• - Avoid catch all category• - Limited to products largely used in agriculture

(e.g. water retention products) • - Quality requirements in development e.g;

water retention capacity• Alternatively• - if such products are not largely marketed across

Europe, leave MS the choice to regulate or not.

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Growing media

• Not possible to describe quality requirements for the whole set of growing media products ( conclusions of the FWG on 19 November 2012)

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Growing media – mandatory criteria to be declared

Electrical conductivity (mS/m)

pH

Quantity by volume at time of filling (litres) up to 60mm

Quantity by volume-determination of materials with particle size greater than 60 mm

Quantity by volume-determination of pre-shaped GM

Amount of fertiliser added (kg/m³) if present

Presence of fertilising additives (see slide 28)

Growing media – optional criteria to be declared

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CAT soluble and water-soluble nitrogen (mg/l)

CAT soluble and water-soluble phosphorus (mg/l)

CAT soluble and water-soluble potassium (mg/l)

Total pore space (% by volume at a given pressure)

Water volume (% by volume at a given pressure)

Air volume (% by volume at a given pressure)

Shrinkage (% by volume)

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Growing media – Compulsory identification• Identification of the product category • The quantity (volume)• The relevant technical characteristics of growing

media• The batch identification code• Guidelines for the safe handling (where applicable) and use• Where relevant, a statement about the suitability – or not -

of the product for particular plant groups• Main constituents above 5% by weight of the final product

in descending order of importance (may be expressed in general terms)

• Responsible person (manufacturer, importer, distributor): name and address

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Growing media – Optional identification

• Trade name of the product• Recommended conditions of storage

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Plant biostimulant – Compulsory identification for all products (1)

• Identification of the product category • EU registration number• Product name• Main relevant constituents in descending order of abundance

(may be expressed in general terms – “natural plant extracts”)

• Registry functional claim(s): to which part(s) of the regulatory definition do the claimed benefits correspond – e.g. “benefit nutrient uptake”

• Minimum guaranteed content• Indications of the dose rates and suitable conditions of use• Net mass or volume for fluid biostimulants at time of

manufacture and expressed as kg or lt

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Plant biostimulant – Compulsory identification for all products (2)

• Expiration date, where relevant• Storage and handling recommendations (e.g

CLP provisions)• Mark of the manufacturer and the trade

description of the product• Batch code• Responsible person (manufacturer, importer,

distributor): name and address

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Plant biostimulant – Compulsory identification if relevant

• Detailed claims (where the producer claims more detailed benefits than the general definition)

• Any major nutrients (N, P2O5, K2O, MgO, CaO, SO3) that are present in amounts exceeding 1% on the product as received

• Total micronutrient content if present above 0.01% on the product as received

• For the nutrients: specify type (inorganic, organic), performance characteristics (e.g.water soluble or chelated)

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Plant biostimulant mixed with other products • Labelling requirements that would apply to all plant

biostimulants• An indication of EU registration• Product name• Registry claims • Minimum guaranteed content• Conc. of the biostimulant in the mixture (kg/t or ml/l)• Indications of dose rates and suitable conditions of use• All labelling requirements for the other component of

the mixture

• Labelling that is required if relevant for the product• Detailed claims (beyond definition claims)

Agronomic fertiliser additives :labelling requirements

• Thank you for your suggestions

• This category will cover:• Nitrification and urease inhibitors• Chelating and complexing agents• Coating agents (not yet covered by the current

regulation)• …other possible products in the future (need for a

flexible approach)

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