Section 700.APPENDIX E Fertilizer Research and Education Program

ARTICLE I

PURPOSE

A research and education program for fertilizer is established and shall be operated for purposes of sponsoring research and education programs. In order to implement this program, a Fertilizer Research and Education Council (council) is established and its goals and objectives are:

a) To evaluate the agronomics of fertilizers when best management practices are used, which may include, but are not limited to, the relationship of fertilizer use to soil management, soil fertility, plant nutrition problems, economic considerations, and environment considerations.

b) To develop effective application techniques for fertilizer, which may include the development of equipment and fertilizer distribution systems.

c) To demonstrate the efficiencies and effectiveness of fertilizer systems.

d) To conduct research on environmental concerns which shall be related to fertilizer usage.

e) To develop innovative uses of fertilizers under varied cultural, pest control and water management practices and other potential uses.

f) To disseminate the results of such research programs.

g) To promote the recommended and effective usage of fertilizer materials through education programs and other designated activities.

ARTICLE II

FERTILIZER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION COUNCIL

Section 1. Establishment of Council.

a) A Fertilizer Research and Education Council is established under the authority of Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 5, par. 55.6a, as amended by P.A. 86-232, effective August 15, 1989).

b) This Council shall be comprised of 3 persons representing the fertilizer industry, 3 persons representing crop production, and 2 persons representing the public at large who shall be appointed by the Director of the Department of Agriculture (director) (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961).

c) Vacancies occurring on the council during an unexpired term of office shall be filled by the director with an appointee who is from the respective field affected by the vacancy. The appointee shall serve as a representative on the council for the unexpired term. Should an appointed council member no longer represent the respective field from which such member was appointed, a vacancy shall be deemed to exist.

Section 2. Term of Office.

a) The term of office for a council member shall be three years, except for the initial council. The term of office shall terminate on September 30. No person shall serve as a council member for more than two consecutive terms of office.

b) In order to have staggered terms of office to the council, the initial terms of office shall terminate on September 30 in the years 1993, 1994, and 1995.

c) The term of office for each initial council member shall be determined by a drawing.

Section 3. Meetings of Council.

a) The council shall meet at least once annually.

b) Each appointed council member and the director are entitled to one vote. An appointed council member cannot vote by proxy or be represented by another person.

c) Any action taken by the council shall require a majority vote of the council members, provided a quorum is present.

d) If an appointed council member misses three consecutive meetings of the council, the director shall declare the office vacant and the procedure for filling vacancies shall be initiated.

Section 4. Council Compensation.

The appointed council members are entitled to actual and necessary travel expenses at the reimbursement rate approved by the State's Travel Control Board while attending meetings of the council or while engaged in the performance of official responsibilities as determined by the council. Council members are not entitled to any salary.

Section 5. Duties of the Chairman

The Director or his representative from the Department shall act as chairman of the council (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961). The duties of the chairman shall be to:

a) Preside at all meetings of the council.

b) Call meetings of the council when deemed necessary or when requested by three or more appointed members of the council.

c) Have general supervision of the affairs of the council and perform all acts and duties usually incidental to and required of a presiding officer.

Section 6. Powers and Duties of the Council.

The responsibilities of the council are to:

a) solicit research and education projects consistent with the scope of the established fertilizer research and education program (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);

b) review and arrange for peer review of all research proposals for scientific merit and methods, and review for arrange for the review of all proposals for their merit, objective, methods and procedures (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961); any person performing peer review shall not be associated with the person or organization submitting the project;

c) evaluate the proposed budget for the projects and make recommendations as necessary (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);

d) monitor progress of projects and report at least once each 6 months on each project's accomplishments to the director and board of agricultural advisers (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);

e) recommend projects to be approved and funded at least annually including recommendations on continuation or cancellation of authorized and ongoing projects (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961);

f) recommend to the Board of Agricultural Advisors and to the director that the Department of Agriculture contract with or make grants to an organization, agency or individual for any research, education materials, peer review and/or educational programs pertaining to fertilizers;

g) publish annually an activity and financial report for the period October 1 through September 30;

h) recommend that the Department of Agriculture accept donations, gifts, and other property to be used for program purposes; and

i) perform other duties as may be necessary for the operation of the council.

ARTICLE III

GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS

Section 1. Research Projects.

a) Proposals for research projects shall contain the following information on forms provided by the Department:

1) Identity of the project and its location;

2) Name(s) of project leader(s) and of any person or entity that will be cooperating, if applicable; biographical information on project leader(s) shall be included;

3) Specific and concise objectives for the project;

4) Justification statement on why the work is needed, literature review of related research that has been conducted or is now being conducted, what information will be contributed, and impact of research;

5) A workplan including but not limited to:

A) treatment variables and levels of each (e.g., types of treatments, rates of application, plot dimensions, and replications).

B) soil characteristics (e.g., soil type, chemical base measurements on soil before treatments are started, physical characteristics of plot area such as topography, bulk density, and drainage, and any biological characteristics that are unique to the plot).

C) cultural practices (e.g., field history; crop rotation to be used; target planting dates; hybrids or varieties; seeding rate and row width; weed control; insect control; disease control; irrigation, type, frequency, method of scheduling; tillage and residue management; and fertilizer application methods and placement).

D) parameters to be measured (e.g., establish chemical base measurements on soil, plant analyses as appropriate for each treatment, quality measurements in addition to yield, total above ground dry matter and nutrient content at harvest on selected treatments, water and energy efficiency measurements as appropriate, and yield).

E) development of equipment and fertilizer delivery systems, if applicable.

F) anticipated effects on the environment.

G) any pertinent information on the project that the person submitting the research project desires to explain.

6) Dates of the initiation and completion of the project, timetable with targeted goals, and any deadlines that may be established;

7) Itemized cost of the project.

b) Any person who has a research project funded by the council shall submit to the chairman a quarterly report on the project's findings that have occurred during the quarter for which the report covers and a final report at the project's conclusion covering the total findings and conclusions of the project.

Section 2. Education and Information Dissemination Projects.

a) Proposals for education and/or information dissemination projects shall contain the following information on forms provided by the Department:

1) Identity of the project and its location;

2) Name(s) of project leader(s) and of any person or entity that will be cooperating, if applicable; biographical information on the project leader(s) shall be included;

3) Specific and concise objectives for the project;

4) Justification statement on why the work is needed, related projects that have been conducted or are now being conducted, what information will be contributed, and impact of the project;

5) Itemized cost of the project;

6) Dates of initiation and completion of the project, timetable with targeted goals, and any deadlines that may be established.

b) Any person who has an education and/or information dissemination project funded by the council shall submit to the chairman a quarterly report on the project's findings that have occurred during the quarter for which the report covers and a final report at the project's conclusion covering the total findings and conclusions of the project.

Section 3. Copyright, royalty, and patent.

The contract with the person whose project was approved shall address the issues of copyright, royalty payments and patents.

ARTICLE IV

PROCEDURES FOR PROJECT APPROVAL

a) The council shall solicit projects from time to time. Within six months of the date of receipt of the project application, the council shall advise the person who submitted the project whether the project has been approved, rejected, is pending or needs additional information.

b) When the council approves a new project or makes a recommendation for continuation or cancellation of ongoing projects, the recommendation and project shall be delivered to the director on the date it is approved. In deciding whether to approve a project, the council shall consider its objectives and goals, availability of funding, and the results of other research. Because of the possibility of insufficient funding, the council shall rank projects.

c) The director shall call a meeting of the Board of Agricultural Advisors within 30 days of the date of delivery of the council's recommendation.

d) One or more members of the council as designated by the council shall present the proposed project or recommendation for continuation or cancellation to the Board of Agricultural Advisors.

e) The Board of Agricultural Advisors shall review the proposed projects and recommendations of the fertilizer research and education council and recommend to the director what projects shall be approved and their priority. The Board of Agricultural advisors shall recommend to the director the continuation or cancellation of such projects (Section 6a of the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961). Decisions of the Board of Agricultural Advisors on the recommendations of the council shall be forwarded to the director and to the council within ten working days.

f) The director shall consider the recommendations of the council and the Board of Agricultural Advisors in determining whether to approve or reject a project or a recommendation to continue or cancel a project. The director's final decision on each recommendation shall be made within ten working days of the date of the Board of Agricultural Advisor's recommendation.

(Source: Amended at 14 Ill. Reg. 584, effective December 27, 1989)