Members of the committees overseeing agriculture in the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives were working overtime last week to work out their differences. Each chamber has passed their version of a bill that will change the way nitrogen, phosphorus, and manure are applied in the western basin of Lake Erie.

Senate Bill 1 has received a second hearing in the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and is listed for a possible vote during the committee hearing Tuesday morning. Amendments to the bill are likely to be voted on during the hearing as well.

The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) has been working very closely with the members of the committee to make sure the bill utilizes sound scientific practices. OSA has worked with legislators to ensure the 4Rs of nutrient application are the foundation for any regulation on how commercial fertilizer is applied. OSA believes the final bill will include a ban on application when the ground is saturated, frozen or snow covered. It is likely that the bill will include exemptions to allow application when the manure or chemical fertilizer is incorporated or injected into the soil.