The board shall have authority to establish standards of classification for commercial fertilizer according to ratios and grades by which its quality, condition, fertilizing or plant food value may be judged and to alter or modify such standards when found to be necessary. In pursuance thereof, the board is authorized to establish, adopt and promulgate a list of minimum analysis ratios and grades for commercial fertilizers including minimum available plant food content for nitrogen, available phosphorus and available soluble potassium and also for superphosphate with potassium, nitrogen with superphosphate and superphosphate.
The board shall also be authorized to define and to adopt standards for the sale of specialty fertilizers together with conditions and restrictions under which they may be sold and to establish standards and minimum guarantees for plant nutrients other than nitrogen, available phosphorus and soluble potassium. Before the board shall establish and adopt minimum plant food ratios, grades and other activities as authorized in this section, it shall hold a public hearing open to all interested persons, and it shall also request recommendations thereon from the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service of Auburn University relating to the need for such action.