Michigan House Bill HB5761

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26

Caption

Agriculture: fertilizer; registration and tonnage fees for composting; eliminate. Amends secs. 8505 & 8506 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.8505 & 324.8506). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5762'26, HB 5763'26

Summary

House Bill 5761 amends Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act provisions governing specialty fertilizers, soil conditioners, and related inspection fees. The bill raises registration fees for specialty fertilizer and soil conditioner products, changes how custom blend specialty fertilizers and certain soil conditioners are licensed or registered, and updates recordkeeping, labeling, and out-of-state registration requirements. It also revises the annual inspection fee structure for fertilizers, soil conditioners, peat, and peat moss, while keeping the tonnage-reporting framework in place. The bill also creates a new fee structure for agricultural-use composted products that make specific nutrient value claims. Under the amended section 8506, manufacturers of such composted products would pay a per-cubic-yard fee above a threshold, and that fee would substitute for the existing agricultural fertilizer fee in that circumstance. The bill is tied to two companion bills, HB 5762 and HB 5763, meaning it would not take effect unless all three measures are enacted. In practical terms, the bill would increase regulatory and financial obligations for manufacturers, distributors, and registrants of specialty fertilizers, soil conditioners, and certain composted products. It would also preserve the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s authority to collect fees, inspect records, and enforce tonnage reporting, while directing collected money to the state treasury fund referenced in the statute. The overall sentiment reflected by the bill text and caption is administrative and industry-focused rather than ideological: it appears aimed at updating fee schedules and clarifying compliance rules for fertilizer and composting-related products. Because no committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the available materials. The main likely point of contention is the higher fee burden on product manufacturers and distributors, especially those in the specialty fertilizer and composting sectors, versus the state’s interest in maintaining inspection and regulatory funding.

Impact

HB 5761 would amend sections 8505 and 8506 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to increase registration fees, revise licensing options for custom blend fertilizers and soil conditioners, and adjust inspection-fee and tonnage-reporting requirements. It would affect manufacturers, distributors, registrants, and out-of-state businesses handling specialty fertilizers, soil conditioners, peat, peat moss, and composted products with nutrient claims, while preserving the department’s audit and enforcement authority.

Sentiment

No committee discussion or vote history was provided, so the available record does not show a formal debate or roll-call sentiment. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be a technical regulatory update with a fiscal component, likely supported by those favoring updated fee structures and department funding, and potentially opposed by affected industry stakeholders facing higher costs.

Contention

The most notable point of contention is the increase and restructuring of fees, including higher registration fees for specialty fertilizer and soil conditioner products and a new fee for agricultural-use composted products with nutrient claims. Manufacturers and distributors may view these changes as added compliance and cost burdens, while the state and regulators may view them as necessary to support inspection, recordkeeping, and oversight. The bill’s tie-bar to HB 5762 and HB 5763 also suggests the package is interdependent and may have been negotiated as a broader regulatory reform.