Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

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Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » February 22nd, 2019, 4:02 pm

Press link: https://www.milorganite.com/blog/milorg ... e-shortage

~tldr: There's a shortage of milorganite, and the state of Indiana is contesting milorganite data claims so it cannot be shipped to Indiana until it gets cleared up anyways. Nothing unsafe, just contested data.
I’m reaching out to you on an issue that Milorganite is having with the state of Indiana, which prevents us from shipping product directly into the state.



The state biosolids regulators are contesting the data (heating temperatures) we provided to show compliance with EPA class A biosolids rules. To be clear, no consumers who are using our product are at risk. This is simply an issue of data compliance. While we are working through a resolution to this issue, we cannot directly ship Milorganite into the state of Indiana. The state has not forbid the sale of our product, understanding that we do not control all channels of commerce and there is still product in a variety of outlets. Our hope is to get this issue resolved shortly, but it is difficult to give you a timeframe by which this will happen.



Please feel free to contact me for more information if need be. We’ll certainly keep you apprised as we work to clear up this issue.





Regards,

<Sales and Marketing Guy from Milorganite>

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by Green » February 23rd, 2019, 12:53 am

Wow, this shortage thing is real, huh? In other words, seriously impacting people. So glad I didn't use all mine up last year. If I can't get any in my state, I think I have enough left for this Spring.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by PSU4ME » February 23rd, 2019, 9:03 am

I’m no expert on this stuff whatsoever but with the popularity of this kind of fertilizer and the ability for states to “probably” make their own, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more states looking to roll out their own products at cheaper rates.

I buy the baystate stuff up my way for $175 a pallet ($3.50) so there is a lot of room in those prices for other players to join.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by turf_toes » February 23rd, 2019, 11:24 am

Green wrote:
February 23rd, 2019, 12:53 am
Wow, this shortage thing is real, huh? In other words, seriously impacting people. So glad I didn't use all mine up last year. If I can't get any in my state, I think I have enough left for this Spring.
Didn’t the OP say this was a dispute with the state of Indiana?

There’s no suggestion anywhere that this is an issue anywhere else.

I’m not sure you can extrapolate that last year’s shortage has anything to do with this. We don’t even know if there is still a widespread shortage (localized issues aside).

Frankly, I use Oceangro. It’s cheaper, comes in a larger bag and there was no shortage at all last year.

I realize that is a Jersey only product. But this issue with Indiana is not a problem outside of that state. Even at that, the note indicates there is still product available in Indiana.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by turf_toes » February 23rd, 2019, 11:47 am

HoosierLawnGnome wrote:
February 22nd, 2019, 4:02 pm
Press link: https://www.milorganite.com/blog/milorg ... e-shortage

~tldr: There's a shortage of milorganite, and the state of Indiana is contesting milorganite data claims so it cannot be shipped to Indiana until it gets cleared up anyways. Nothing unsafe, just contested data.
I’m reaching out to you on an issue that Milorganite is having with the state of Indiana, which prevents us from shipping product directly into the state.



The state biosolids regulators are contesting the data (heating temperatures) we provided to show compliance with EPA class A biosolids rules. To be clear, no consumers who are using our product are at risk. This is simply an issue of data compliance. While we are working through a resolution to this issue, we cannot directly ship Milorganite into the state of Indiana. The state has not forbid the sale of our product, understanding that we do not control all channels of commerce and there is still product in a variety of outlets. Our hope is to get this issue resolved shortly, but it is difficult to give you a timeframe by which this will happen.



Please feel free to contact me for more information if need be. We’ll certainly keep you apprised as we work to clear up this issue.





Regards,

<Sales and Marketing Guy from Milorganite>
hey HLG,

I’m curious where you got this.

I have tried google searching for the text below and have found no results at all.

I’m surprised there hasn’t been a news story about this.

“The state biosolids regulators are contesting the data (heating temperatures) we provided to show compliance with EPA class A biosolids rules. To be clear, no consumers who are using our product are at risk.”

The link you shared discussed last year’s shortage. But didn’t see any mention of the text above.

I was hoping to read more.


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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » February 27th, 2019, 11:03 am

TT,

This was sent to my milorganite supplier by <Sales and Marketing Guy from Milorganite> personally via email. He sent it to me.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by turf_toes » February 27th, 2019, 11:27 am

HoosierLawnGnome wrote:
February 27th, 2019, 11:03 am
TT,

This was sent to my milorganite supplier by <Sales and Marketing Guy from Milorganite> personally via email. He sent it to me.
Yeah. I’ve got some follow up happening of my own.

Thanks for your response.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by FirstAction » March 4th, 2019, 3:41 pm

Glad I still have four bags left over from (I think) Lowes in Westfield. That’s going to last me too long, though. Maybe I’ll get some on my way back from Chicago next time I’m up there.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by andy10917 » March 4th, 2019, 6:47 pm

FIRSTACTION, why are you concerned about a problem that is localized to Indiana? You're in Virginia, no?

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by john5246 » March 4th, 2019, 8:04 pm

There is a lot of hype around this product miloganite, way more than there should be for people who have common sense. Last year my area ran out of milo. I used scotts with along with a bag of Ironite. My lawn looked great. There is plenty of organic matter from the leaves falling in my yard. I really have a hard time wrapping my head around why there is so much hype over human sh-t to spread on your lawn. There shouldn't be since people here already understand that it's the iron they put in there that makes the difference. And we all know you can apply iron separately. I don't know who has been pumping this product so hard but they have done an amazing job. This is not to say that milorganite is a bad product. I use it, but I don't hoard the stuff like it's gold.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by TimmyG » March 4th, 2019, 10:19 pm

andy10917 wrote:
March 4th, 2019, 6:47 pm
FIRSTACTION, why are you concerned about a problem that is localized to Indiana? You're in Virginia, no?
Albeit confusingly, HLG's OP alerted us to two separate issues: 1) a shortage of Milorganite, and 2) the state of Indiana contesting Milorganite's data claims. The shortage discussed on Milorganite's website by their Director of Sales & Marketing is universal; it's not specific to Indiana.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by Green » March 4th, 2019, 10:29 pm

john5246 wrote:
March 4th, 2019, 8:04 pm
I don't know who has been pumping this product so hard but they have done an amazing job. This is not to say that milorganite is a bad product. I use it, but I don't hoard the stuff like it's gold.
I know who has been promoting it the past few years. Look around online and you'll see who it is. Nothing at all against that person.
john5246 wrote:
March 4th, 2019, 8:04 pm
Last year my area ran out of milo. I used scotts with along with a bag of Ironite. My lawn looked great. There is plenty of organic matter from the leaves falling in my yard. I really have a hard time wrapping my head around why there is so much hype over human sh-t to spread on your lawn.
That said, my Spring Nitrogen program is natural based, and Milorganite is a key component because it works. Using synthetic N has not produced equivalent Summer performance. On the contrary, I've had worse heat tolerance when using synthetics in Spring, so I don't consider them a replacement.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by john5246 » March 5th, 2019, 4:19 pm

Green wrote:
March 4th, 2019, 10:29 pm
john5246 wrote:
March 4th, 2019, 8:04 pm
I don't know who has been pumping this product so hard but they have done an amazing job. This is not to say that milorganite is a bad product. I use it, but I don't hoard the stuff like it's gold.
I know who has been promoting it the past few years. Look around online and you'll see who it is. Nothing at all against that person.
john5246 wrote:
March 4th, 2019, 8:04 pm
Last year my area ran out of milo. I used scotts with along with a bag of Ironite. My lawn looked great. There is plenty of organic matter from the leaves falling in my yard. I really have a hard time wrapping my head around why there is so much hype over human sh-t to spread on your lawn.
That said, my Spring Nitrogen program is natural based, and Milorganite is a key component because it works. Using synthetic N has not produced equivalent Summer performance. On the contrary, I've had worse heat tolerance when using synthetics in Spring, so I don't consider them a replacement.
Agree with the last part, Milo is great for the summer application of fertilizer. That is assuming you have a liquid insecticide like bifen as a separate application.

And not it's not because of that one guy that there's a shortage. There's this sort of "cult" behavior online around this milorganite product not just from him. Again, not to knock on milorganite it's a great product when used right. Scotts max also has iron mixed in as an alternative. Another thing we might see if this hype continues is that scotts and others dial back the NPK a little and add iron to keep their fert at the same price point. The other hype product I've been hearing about a lot is the humic acid. You really have to take a step back and think about how much organic matter is being chopped up on your lawn (including grass itself and hopefully you're not bagging all the clippings). You can have an amazing looking lawn just doing the basics (taking care of the soil ;) and not spraying humic or all these other "tea" and kelp products. It's so overboard in my opinion.

I can tell you my personal results with using ironite were gave much better green up than the small amount of iron from miloganite.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by Green » March 6th, 2019, 12:26 pm

Yeah, humic acid and kelp are for those who want to go the extra mile for diminishing returns. Obviously Nitrogen is the most important, basic thing to use. And mulch mowing leaves and not bagging clippings adds a bit more NPK, organic matter, and other good things, and is relatively easy. So, you're right...best to start with the easiest things. I don't understand people who fertilize organically but then remove their clippings and leaves, either.

Milo is also excellent if your soil needs a boost in P. After using it at least one, sometimes 2-3 apps a year, my P levels are where they should be, without using more than a few (maybe 3) bags of starter fertilizer and one bag of 0-46-0 over 15K of lawn in those 7 years.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » March 6th, 2019, 2:06 pm

For high pH lawns like mine, milo supplies iron in a way my plants would otherwise struggle to take it up. Fairly common scenario really.

Be careful with Ironite. There are some articles warning about it showing trace amounts of heavy metals.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by andy10917 » March 6th, 2019, 9:27 pm

I strongly suspect that I'm the "culprit" that no one is willing to identify in writing.

I am a strong believer in Milorganite/Bay State/OceanGro/etc as an important piece in the core of a season-long program - they are gentle but highly-effective, deliver Iron in quantity (by the way, they don't "add" it - it's part of the process and in the effluent) in a bioavailable form, even at a high pH. There is no equivalent for a bioavailable Iron other than chelated Iron, which is quite expensive. Also, they're great ways to recycle nutrients instead of dumping them into the waterways, and the form of Phosphorous is considerably less prone to leaching.

What I'm *NOT*, however, is someone incapable of switching to other products when I can't get any of them. While I use Milorganite in a lot of plans because it has national availability, I actually prefer Bay State for cost reasons. I'm not travelling weekly to the Boston area anymore, so that's not an option. I substitute Soybean Meal and mix my own NPK fertilizers from Urea, Triple Super Phosphate and Sulfate of Potash when I have to.

I have real problem with the trigger/code words like "pumping" a product, though. That implies that someone has something to gain (financial?) from the recommendation of the use of something. That is ludicrous, small-minded, and an insult.

As I said before, I believe that Bay State, Miloraganite and/or OceanGro are at great natural products that belong in many regimens - including many challenging ones. I have tried to get something going in New York to generate a similar product, but been told that no politician will stand up to a vocal group of dissenters to any product involving biosolids.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by Green » March 7th, 2019, 1:38 am

Andy,

There are a few others with wide exposure who extol the virtues of Milorganite regularly in various platforms, too, as you know. Actually, I was thinking of one of those others (who I still won't name out of respect)...but now that you mention it, you rank up there, too :-) (that's a compliment, because the Milo and other soil related stuff has done wonders). In short, not you, but you, too. By the way, thank you!

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by john5246 » March 7th, 2019, 1:40 am

Personally I was referring to a certain youtuber but even he doesn't get anything from the company. Pumping does sort of imply that but none of the guys who are "pumping" it are getting anything in return as far as a I know. Now the NeXT products are a different story (Humic, Air8, etc). I use milo in the summer, I don't hoard, I buy what I need. It's not god's gift to man. Your grass can still be amazing without it. In fact I'll post pics of mine without using any milo this year (maybe) just to show. I've been into lawn care since I was probably 14. I don't think milo even existed back then and we had the best lawn on the block. There also wasn't internet to share all the info about lawn care back then. We survived, we didn't hoard or do any other silliness.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by Green » March 7th, 2019, 3:15 pm

John,

I don't see that hoarding behavior, except maybe with people who have to pick up Baystate in their own vehicles and don't drive past it a lot like Andy said he used to. But that's justifiable considering the price (pre-purchasing). Personally I do have a few bags of Milo, at least a half bag of another organic (maybe 1.5), and a LOT of partly used bags of synthetics leftover from last year (it wasn't intentional). I still prefer organics, overall.

Milo probably existed when you were 14 (unless you're around 120, lol); I think it came out in the 1920s, but it may not have been available in your area or on people's radar. I did not know about it until I started reading online. It seems no matter where you read on online, more than half the people like it.

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Re: Milorganite shortage and data compliance issue in Indiana

Post by Trike007 » March 7th, 2019, 7:01 pm

In terms of the shortage. If you have a True Value nearby, you can do a free ship to store option. I just got 8 bag shipped to my local store at $11.99/bag. https://www.truevalue.com/eco-friendly- ... izer-36-lb I haven't been able to find it at my local Lowes since the beginning of last spring.

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