Your fertiliser feeds the soil.
Your claims feed the regulator.
EU Directive 2024/825 (EmpCo) puts every "natural", "organic", "low-carbon" and "biodegradable" line on your bag, datasheet and website under the microscope — on top of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009. Gilbert is the agronomy lab that re-formulates your claims before the inspector pulls a sample.
"100% natural · carbon-neutral fertiliser"
Vague + offset-based — Art. 6 EmpCo. Needs origin %, LCA method, no offsets.
No time to do it yourself? We handle EMPCO for you.
See the EMPCO ServiceThe field, walked by Gilbert.
Every claim walks past the agronomy bench. Red gets sent back to R&D, amber gets re-formulated, green gets bagged.
Read the datasheet before you bag the claim.
We translate every bag, brochure and product page into a single agronomy datasheet — but for compliance. ✓ substantiated, ✗ vague, ⚠ needs evidence. Each verdict links to the EmpCo article, the EU 2019/1009 category, and a rewrite you can ship to the line.
- ✗Art. 6
"100% natural fertiliser"
Mineral content present — origin must be disclosed
- ✗Art. 6
"Carbon-neutral via offsets"
Offset-based neutrality is prohibited
- ✓Art. 5
"Biodegradable polymer coating (ISO 18606)"
Standard + scope + timeframe cited
- ✗Art. 6
"Eco-friendly granule"
Generic environmental claim — banned
- ⚠Art. 6
"Improves soil organic carbon by 0.4% over 3 yrs"
Needs trial method + soil type baseline
- ✓Art. 5
"Recovered nutrients — PFC 1(B), EU 2019/1009"
Regulated category + traceable origin
Three passes from greenwashed to greenlit.
Sample
Drop a URL, SDS, datasheet or bag artwork. Gilbert reads every claim across your portfolio — from product pages to the small print on the sack.
Analyse
Each claim gets a red / amber / green verdict, the exact EmpCo article it triggers, the EU 2019/1009 category it falls under, and an evidence checklist.
Re-formulate
One-click rewrites that keep the agronomic message but pass the directive. Ship to your PIM, packaging brief or distributor portal.
Before / after re-formulation.
Hover any card to read the EmpCo + 2019/1009 rationale. Same agronomic story, different legal footing.
"100% natural fertiliser."
"Organic-mineral blend: 65% animal-origin N (poultry litter), 35% mined sulphate of potash. Origin verified to EU 2019/1009 PFC 1(C)(I)."
"Carbon-neutral fertiliser."
"Production footprint reduced 42% vs 2020 baseline (ISO 14067, verified by DNV). Residual emissions disclosed, not offset."
"Biodegradable controlled-release coating."
"Polymer coating ≥90% biodegradation in soil within 24 months (ISO 17556, 25 °C)."
"Eco-friendly slow-release granule."
"Polymer-coated urea, N released over 90 days at 21 °C (ISO 18644)."
Gilbert doesn't replace your agronomists.
it gives your regulatory & product team their bench back.
the 95% — handled by Gilbert
The bag-to-PDP volume — scanning every product sheet, every distributor brochure, every farm-portal banner. Flagging EmpCo + 2019/1009 risk. Suggesting compliant rewrites. Tracking changes season after season.
the 5%
The judgement calls only your regulatory lead can make. Edge cases. PFC classification. The dossier defence.
Each stays in their lane. Gilbert handles the volume. Your team handles the calls that matter.
built with — not against — fertiliser regulatory teams
Three blends. Sized to your portfolio.
10 scans/month — solo regulatory leads
50 scans/month — most popular for fertiliser brands
250 scans/month — multi-market manufacturers
Your next step
Do it yourself, or let us do it.
Start with 5 free scans — or hand the entire EmpCo process to our team.
Subscribe to the next harvest.
Get your first audit free. 5 scan credits, no card, no fertiliser-blend lock-in. Ships to your inbox in under a minute.