Omnibus ag bill approved

A bill intended to modernize regulatory language and update certain fees related to fertilizer and soil conditioners was given final approval March 12.

LB948, introduced by the Agriculture Committee, renames the Nebraska Commercial Fertilizer and Soil Conditioners Act as the Nebraska Commercial Fertilizer and Beneficial Substances Act. It also incorporates beneficial substances — such as biostimulants that support a plant’s natural processes — as regulated products and revises fees collected under the act.

The bill adds a new registration fee of $50 per product to cover the state Department of Agriculture’s cost of reviewing product labels, increases the minimum tonnage inspection fee from $5 to $10 and increases an annual license fee for distributing fertilizers and beneficial substances from $15 to $25.

Finally, the measure includes provisions of LB947, also introduced by the committee, that:
• revise authority for license, inspection and certification fees under the Plant Protection and Plant Pest Act;
• repeal obsolete sections of state law relating to non-functioning agricultural organizations;
• update fees under the Nebraska Pesticide Act;
• amend the department’s duties relating to publishing and distributing the “Weeds of the Great Plains” book;
• repeal the Nebraska Poultry and Egg Act on Dec. 31, 2027; and
• terminate the Potato Development Cash Fund and direct residual funds to the Plant Protection and Plant Pest Cash Fund.

LB948 passed on a 35-10 vote and takes effect immediately.