Remembering Industry Icon Teddy Nixon

Last week, Teddy Nixon passed away at the age of 85.  Teddy was the "N" in the HG&N fertilizer group; he helped shape the ag retail industry in Illinois and leaves a legacy of success that continues today.  A celebration of Teddy's life was held today.  To view Teddy's obituary, please click here.  Please keep his wife and family in your prayers. 

New System for Illinois Fertilizer Reporting

The Illinois Dept of Ag is upgrading the system that they use to track fertilizer sales, registration, tonnage assessment payments and licensing.  The new program is called USAPlants and will greatly improve the reporting system for the industry and for IDA.  IDA is currently testing the system plans for it to be up and running by the time the monthly October fertilizer tonnage reports are due.  You will still be able to upload a completed spreadsheet or enter data into the system directly.  Watch for updates from IDA on how to utilize the new system. 

The Illinois Fertilizer Act requires that fertilizer distributors who sell to the end user report their sales to IDA on a monthly basis; this new system will improve your ability to comply with that requirement.  Did you know that 25 cents of the $1.00 fertilizer tonnage assessment goes to IDA to help support the fertilizer inspection and regulatory compliance programs?  Prior to the recent changes in the Illinois Fertilizer Act in 2012, a portion of the total tonnage assessment of 25 cents went instead to the General Revenue Fund.  IFCA helped to make this change in the law to directly support the IDA regulatory compliance programs which benefit our members as well as the consumers of fertilizer in Illinois.  If you have questions about fertilizer reporting, please contact IFCA. 

Pesticide Labels

In our last "Items of Interest" we reminded everyone to ensure that you have current repackaging agreements with the pesticide manufacturers to repack pesticides from bulk to minibulk for sale or distribution.  A few clarifications to that story:
 
1.  When you are only transferring from bulk storage into minibulk containers and that product is applied through your custom application business, then this process is referred to as a "service container" and is not considered "repackaging" for the purposes of compliance with USEPA requirements for repackaging.  Only when product is repacked from bulk to minibulk and the minibulks then sold or distributed to another user do the repackaging requirements come into play.
 
2.  When you accept delivery of a bulk pesticide at your facility, the label that is affixed to the bulk tank and to the subsequent minibulks that you repack into should be the label that was offered at the time of the bulk product delivery. 
 
3.  Even when you are only transferring from bulk to minibulk for "service containers" for your custom application business, USEPA recommends that the label of the product be on the service container.  That way if it is in transit to the field or set aside for a time, everyone knows what is in the tank and this help greatly in any emergency situation or to avoid mixups that can turn out to be costly mistakes.  
 
If you have questions about bulk repackaging requirements, please contact IFCA. 

Fall Stewardship

Thanks to all of our members who are doing a great job working with your farmer customers to plan fall nitrogen applications at the right time.  We know this is a difficult time of year with much work to be done and the ever present worry about whether the weather will allow us to get the nitrogen applications completed before the weather turns wet. We are happy to talk to anyone with concerns and encourage you to counsel with your farmer customers to wait until the conditions are conducive to keeping fall applied nitrogen in a stable condition throughout the winter and spring.  The IFCA 4R Code of Practice promotes waiting until soil temps fall to 50 degrees and stabilizing all fall applied ammonia with N-Serve.  It's not just the fertilizer industry that supports the 4Rs, the farm organizations all support these principles and are working to educate their members as well.  We all know what is at stake when it comes to nutrient management and reducing nutrient losses.  Thanks for all you are doing to reinforce that message! 

Take it Easy Out on the Road

Once fall ammonia season is underway, please remember that most of the accidents that occur with ammonia happen during transport to and from the field.  And when accidents happen on a public roadway, it's not just the driver of the truck pulling the tanks that is in jeopardy, so are the citizens who share the public roadway. 
 
1.  Nurse tanks should not be pulled more than 25 mph down the road; this is in the regulations. 
 
2.  No more than 3 vehicles in combination can be operated on a public highway.  Examples:  One pickup truck hauling two nurse tanks in tandem is acceptable.  One pickup truck with three nurse tanks in tandem in illegal.  A tractor, toolbar, and one tank is legal.  A tractor, toolbar and two tanks in tandem is illegal. 

3.  All ammonia hoses should be disconnected from the toolbar when transported down the highway. 
 
4.  Come to a complete stop at all railroad crossings and look both ways. 
 
5.  Never park a nurse tank in a public area, such as a restaurant, church or shopping center parking lot.  
 
6.  Lights on the nurse tanks are required when they are transported in low light conditions, such as before dawn, at dusk, or on foggy days or low visibility days.  Use an amber rotating or flashing tank on the nurse tanks or towing vehcile, or a lightbar attached to the rearmost tank. 
 
7.  Two safety chains are required and be sure the hitch pins and clips are in good condition. 
 
8.  Ammonia nurse tanks are implements of  husbandry and as such, they MUST NOT be operated on Interstate Highways.  It doesn't matter how stout the running gears are, implements of husbandry are not legal on an Interstate, and since they also have a 25 mph speed limit an Interstate is really out of the question.  But it has happened which is why we are reminding you of this.  When farmers are picking up the tanks, make sure they understand the rules because if they get into an accident, it's your equipment and you too will have to deal with the ramifications. 
 
If you have any questions about transporting ammonia nurse tanks, please call our office at 309.827.2774 and ask for John.  A little patience can diligence can prevent an accident, and an accident on a public highway with ammonia is always a bad situation.  Be careful this fall!