Maker of Worm Gold fertilizer appeals $110,000 fine

George Hahn, owner of California Vermiculture in Cardiff by the Sea, Calif., sells products made of worm castings. He claimed Worm Gold provides nutrients to plants, which in turn strengthens a plant’s ability to repel insects. That’s where the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) stepped in and fined Hahn for not registering his product as a pesticide.

Attorneys from Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) asked the DPR to dismiss their claims against Hahn “because the agency has no jurisdiction over purely natural products.” DPR denied the motion and Hahn filed a write in Sacramento County Superior Court asking the judge to order a dismissal. In August, the court issues an adverse decision, finding that Hahn had represented his fertilizer to be a pesticide. Hahn and PLF have filed for an appeal.