The secretary must sample, inspect, analyze, and test certain fertilizers and beneficial substances, keep a laboratory, and send results to the registrant when there is a violation.
1. It shall be the duty of the secretary, who may act through an authorized agent, to sample, inspect, make analysis of, and test commercial fertilizers or beneficial substances distributed within this state at time and place and to such an extent as the secretary may deem necessary, to determine whether such commercial fertilizers or beneficial substances are in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. In the performance of the foregoing duty, the secretary may consult with the director of the Iowa agricultural experimental station in respect to the time, place, and extent of sampling. The secretary acting individually or through an agent is authorized to enter upon any public or private premises or conveyances during regular business hours in order to have access to a commercial fertilizer or beneficial substance subject to the provisions of this chapter including in rules adopted by the department under this chapter. The secretary shall maintain a laboratory with the necessary equipment and to employ such employees as may be necessary to assist in the administration and enforcement of this chapter. 2. a. The methods of sampling and analysis shall be the official methods of the association of official agricultural chemists in all cases where methods have been adopted by the association. b. The findings of the bureau chief of the Iowa laboratory bureau, or the bureau chief’s deputy, as shown by the sworn statement of the results of analysis of official samples of any brand and grade of commercial fertilizer, fertilizer material, or beneficial substance, shall constitute prima facie evidence of its correctness in the courts of this state, as to the particular lots sampled and analyzed. 3. The secretary, in determining for administrative purposes whether any commercial fertilizer is deficient in plant food, or beneficial substance deficient in guaranteed active ingredients, shall be guided by the official sample as defined in section 200.3, subsection 23, and obtained and analyzed as provided for in subsection 2. 4. The results of official analysis of any commercial fertilizer or beneficial substance which has been found to be in violation of any provision of this chapter, shall be forwarded by the secretary to the registrant. Upon request, the secretary shall furnish to the registrant a portion of any sample. [C46, 50, 54, §200.7 – 200.9; C58, 62, §200.11; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §200.10] 2009 Acts, ch 41, §263; 2025 Acts, ch 134, §8 Section amended