Plant Industries
Serving the citizens of Arkansas and the agricultural and business communities by providing information and unbiased enforcement of laws and regulations set by the Arkansas State Plant Board
Soil Amendments
Frequently Asked Questions – Soil Amendments
- Q: How do I register a soil amendment product in Arkansas?
A: Soil amendment products must be approved and registered before they are sold or distributed in Arkansas. Labels for all registrations must be reviewed and approved. Registrations can be submitted to the Fertilizer Section of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture - (ADA ) Plant Industries Division (PID) on a form provided by the PID. The registration fee is $25.00 per product per year. Registrations will expire on 30 JUN of the year they were approved. The registration form and a check for fees may be mailed to Arkansas Department of Agriculture, ATTN: Fertilizer Section, 1 Natural Resources Dr., Little Rock, AR 72205. Registrations may also be accomplished electronically. Forms and labels can be sent to fertilizer@agriculture.arkansas.gov. Registration fees may be paid online at a link found at the bottom of the forms page. If a check is mailed for payment a copy of the form must accompany the check. Unaccompanied checks will be mailed back unprocessed.
The PID may require additional supporting documentation. See the Soil Amendment Rule for more information.
2. Q: What is a Soil Amendment?
A: A soil amendment is any substance intended to improve the physical, chemical, or other characteristic of the soil or improve crop production, except the following: commercial fertilizers, agricultural liming materials, pesticides and herbicides, unmanipulated animal or vegetable manures, topsoil, or agricultural gypsum.
3. Q: What is the difference between a soil amendment and a fertilizer?
A: A fertilizer is a substance containing one or more recognized plant nutrients and is used for its plant nutrient content. A soil amendment is any product added to the soil to improve its physical properties but does not make direct nutrient claims. Arkansas will determine a fertilizer verses a soil amendment based on the label language. Arkansas does not require dual registration for products making fertilizer and soil amendment claims. If a product makes fertilizer and soil amendment claims it will be registered as a fertilizer.
4: Q: How much is the tonnage fee and when is it due?
A. Tonnage fees are paid monthly. The tonnage must be reported by the 20th of the following month. A fee of $0.375 (37.5 cents) is required for each ton sold or distributed. A late fee of one dollar per day is assessed for each day the report is overdue.
5. Q: Does Arkansas require the registration of a seed treatment?
A. Arkansas does not require the registration of a fertilizer or soil amendment seed treatment if it is used only as a seed treatment and contains no instructions for applications to the soil or plant. If the product makes pesticide claims it must be registered as a pesticide.
6. Q: What if my product makes pesticide claims?
A: Soil amendments that make pesticide claims must be registered with the Pesticide Section before registration as a soil amendment can be completed.
