The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has extended the public comment period for its draft proposal for the use of nitrogen fertilizer in Minnesota.

The purpose of the proposed nitrogen fertilizer rule is to minimize the potential for nitrate-nitrogen contamination from fertilizer in the state's groundwater and drinking water.

Public comments will now be accepted through Aug. 25.

MDA commissioner Dave Frederickson says department officials have been hearing from farmers and commodity groups that more time is needed for them to weigh in on the proposal.

“We need their input and we’re going to make that extension,” he says.

MDA also will hold additional meetings in northwestern Minnesota at the request of ag leaders and members of the public in that region.

Public listening sessions on the draft rule will be held at the following locations:

• July 26, 6:30 p.m., Roseau Civic Center, 121 Center St. East, Roseau
• July 27, 8:30 a.m., Warren Community Center, 110 W. Johnson Ave., Warren
• July 27, 7 p.m., Hawley High School, 714 Joseph St., Hawley

All comments regarding the proposed rule must be submitted in writing. After consideration of the comments received, MDA expects to publish the final draft of the rule this fall. The rule is expected to be adopted in the fall 2018.

Written comments on the draft nitrogen fertilizer rule should be submitted by August 25 to Larry Gunderson, Fertilizer Technical Unit Supervisor, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 625 Robert St. North, St. Paul, MN 55155-2538; or emailed to Gunderson at [email protected].

All comments should, but are not required to, include a contact name, phone number and/or email address to provide for follow-up discussion on specific comments.

Source: MDA