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Both the MDA and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) have roles in regulating land application of biosolids (PDF | MPCA) and industrial byproducts (PDF | MPCA). MPCA performs all the permitting and site approval (when applicable) for land application of these materials. The MDA registers products comprised of these materials to be sold in the state of Minnesota. These processes are separate, and both may be required for products sold in Minnesota to be compliant with state laws.

Land application of biosolids (MPCA) is a common practice in Minnesota. Biosolids are a nutrient-rich component of municipal wastewater treatment commonly used as a soil amendment. During wastewater treatment liquids are separated from solids. The solids portion of wastewater treatment are then further biologically or chemically treated to produce a semisolid known as biosolids. When biosolids are applied to the land at appropriate rates, they provide a nutrient addition and improved soil structure.

An industrial byproduct (MPCA), also known as an IBP, is a byproduct of an industrial, commercial, mining, or agricultural operation. IBPs from food, beverage, and agricultural operations such as vegetable, dairy, and meat processing wastes typically contain nutrients that make them good candidates for land application.

If you have any questions on product registration, you may contact: Fertilizer.Registration.MDA@state.mn.us

The application for registration must include:

• a completed registration application form (see Forms + Resources);
• a copy of the soil/plant amendment product label(s); and
• the appropriate application fees (Minn. Stat. 18C.425).

Application Fee

• The annual application fee for registration of each soil/plant amendment product distributed is $200.
• Application fees are nonrefundable. Therefore, we recommend that copies of labels or proposed labels be submitted to us for review and comment prior to submission of a registration application. This may prevent the loss of fees in case a product registration is denied

Registration Period

• The registration period is effective until January 1 following the date of issuance or approval.
• A product registration is not transferable from one person to another, or from the ownership to whom the registration is issued to another ownership.

Renewal

• The application for renewal of a registration of a product must be filed with us on or before December 31 the previous year or an additional application (penalty) fee of one-half of the application fee ($100) is due.

Registration Discontinuation

Soil/plant amendments are given two years to clear the channel of trade. Use one of the following two options to discontinue the registration of soil/plant amendments,:

• Complete the two-year discontinuation process by registering a soil/plant amendment for two years after distribution or sale has ceased.
• Provide documentation showing that no soil/plant amendment product has been distributed or sold into or within the state for the last two years.

Products Requiring Registration

The State of Minnesota defines soil and plant amendments as follows:

Soil Amendment: a substance intended to improve the structural, physical, or biological characteristics of the soil or modify organic matter at or near the soil surface, except fertilizers, agricultural liming materials, pesticides, and other materials exempted by the commissioner's rules.

Plant Amendment: a substance applied to plants or seeds that is intended to improve germination, growth, yield, product quality, reproduction, flavor, or other desirable characteristics of plants except fertilizers, soil amendments, agricultural liming materials, pesticides, and other materials that are exempted by rule.

Examples of products that typically require registration as soil/plant amendments include, but are not limited to:

*If product is intended to be mixed into soil

If you are unsure if a product requires registration, please contact the MDA for guidance.

Though most grants under this program are awarded to universities and nonprofits, the evaluation criteria treat all entities equally, as long as they are capable of performing the proposed work.

All applications will be reviewed and scored on the extent of external support from specialty crop growers, grower-level groups, processors, and distributors (stakeholders), and how the project may affect and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry segment and/or the public. These evaluation criteria are often more difficult for for-profit entities to demonstrate. Your proposal may be strengthened by including a plan to share results with a wide audience of beneficiaries, collaborate or partner with a nonprofit or academic organization to broaden your external support from stakeholders, or conduct outreach to collect data on project outcomes.

Eligible projects

An eligible proposal needs to demonstrate that:

• The project will result in a significant benefit to the specialty crop industry for crops that are or will be grown in Minnesota (or a segment of the industry—potatoes, for example).
• The project has external support from specialty crop stakeholders; stakeholders include specialty crop growers, grower-level groups, processors, or distributors. The proposal needs to list the farmer(s) or organization(s) and describe the reasons they would like you to conduct this project.
• The project should positively affect and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry or the public.
• The proposed project will not solely benefit a particular commercial product; provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual; or result in unfair competition with private companies that provide equivalent products or services (for example, increase one co-op’s sales of specialty crops at the expense of another co-op).

Yes, as long as the project demonstrates clear benefit to the competitiveness of specialty crops in Minnesota. We know, for example, that some specialty crop growers produce and market specialty and non-specialty crops through the same channels or that research on some production methods may be applied to both specialty and non-specialty crops.