1. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

2. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
All persons that approve or review nutrient management plans will be certified through a program accepted by NRCS in the state involved
This includes NRCS employees, agency people (extension, district employees) and third partry vendors such as Certified Crop Advisors.

3. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
The Nutrient Management Plan may be a stand alone plan or part of a more comprehensive conservation plan
A comprehensive conservation plan would include other fields, perhaps where nutrients or manure are not applied, or other conservation practices (ex. terraces, ponds, wells, etc.) NRCS prefers comprehensive conservation plans because all the landowners or producers decisions for treatment of conservation objectives are available for his farm.

4. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN CONTENTS
Map - fields, acres, soils, landuse, sensitive area
Crops, Forages - crop or grass rotation
Tests - soils, plant tissue, manure
Yield Goal - realistic
Nutrient Budget - assessment of the nutrients present and the amounts needed for nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium
Nutrient Management Plans will contain these items to document the producers decisions in applying nutrients to the land.

5. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
PLAN CONTENTS (Cont.)
Application - planned rates, methods of application, and timing
Guidance - implementation, operation, maintenance, and record keeping
Examples
Make periodic reviews of the plan to determine if adjustments need to be made in application rates

6. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
PLAN CONTENTS (Cont.)
Calibration of equipment
Producer records - Ex. documentation of actual application rates, location , timing, and method as well as soil test results and recommendations ect.
Other conservation practices when applicable

7. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
Fields located in a watershed identified with impaired water quality associated with nitrogen or phosphorous, or when manure or other organic by-products are planned to be applied, then an assessment for the potential transport of these two elements from the field will be required
Phosphorous Index or other assessment tool accepted by NRCS

8. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
REVIEWS AND REVISIONS OF NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANS
Plans will be reviewed periodically to determine need for adjustments.
Annual reviews are highly encouraged
States are to develop procedures for periodic reviews
Reviews will be at least every 5 years
Producers are encouraged to review their own plans annually to determine if adjustments need to be made in application rates. Items to consider when reviewing these plans are changes in crop rotations, expected yields, changes in feed composition, or anything else that may reflect a change in application rates. When changes in application rates are anticipated, a certified planner will need to revise the nutrient management plan.

9. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SOIL, MANURE, AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING
Soils Testing
A current soils test will be used to develop nutrient management plans
Soils test will include an analysis of pH, nitrogen, phosporous, and potassium
Other elements as required
Current soils test will be no older than 5 years
May be less if required by the State

10. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SOIL, MANURE, AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING (Cont.)
Soil Sampling
Soil samples will be taken and handled in accordance with the Land Grant University (OSU) guidance
Soil tests will be performed by Land Grant Universities (OSU) or in soil test laboratories that are accepted by the Land Grant University (OSU)

11. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SOIL, MANURE, AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING (Cont.)
Plant tissue testing
May be used when needed
Manure Testing
The nutrient content of manure or other organic by- products will be based on at least one of the following:
Laboratory analysis
Accepted book values recognized by NRCS in the absence of a laboratory analysis

12. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SOIL, MANURE, AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING (Cont.)
Manure Testing (Cont.)
Historic records for the operation that gives an accurate estimate of the nutrient content of the manure

13. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
NUTRIENT APPLICATION RATES
Recommended nutrient application rates and soil amendments will be based upon Land Grant University (OSU) guidance
Planned and actual rates for nutrient application of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium shall not normally exceed recommended rates when commerical fertilizer is the only source of nutrients

14. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
Recommended application rates may be exceeded when custom blend fertilizers are not available.
However, the applied rate shall be as close to the recommended rate as possible.
Recommended application rates may be exceeded when animal maure or organic by-products are used as the nutrient source

15. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
When animal manure or organic by-products are to be applied to a field, the following guidance shall be used:
Starter fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorous, and/or potassium may be used as recommended in accordance with Land Grant University (OSU) guidance
Nitrogen application - Manure may be applied to legume crops at a rate equal to the estimated nitrogen removal in harvested biomass

16. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
Phosphorous application - Will be in accordance with one or more of the following options:
Phosphorous Index (PI) - Uses a number of different site characteristics to determine phosphorous application rates
Proximity to waterbodies
Amount of soil erosion
Soil test P
Application method

17. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
Phosphorous Threshold - Uses soil specific phosphorous threshold values to determine application rates
Soil Test Phosphorous - Uses laboratory soil test analysis to determine application rates
Potassium Application - Excess potassium will not be recommended where it causes unacceptable nutrient imbalances in forages or crops
Other plant nutrients shall be applied as needed

18. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
RECORD KEEPING
Producers or their agents will be responsible to maintain records which documents the implementation of the nutrient management plan
Soil, manure, or plant tissue test results and recommended nutrients application rates
Quantities and sources of nutrients applied
Dates applications made

19. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
RECORD KEEPING (Cont.)
Methods by which nutrients were applied (broadcast, injected, etc.)
Forages, annual crops planted and dates of planting
Harvest dates and yields
Documented reviews of the nutrient management plan identifying the reviewer and the results of the review.

20. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SUMMARY
All persons that approve or review nutrient management plans will be certified by an NRCS approved program (Including NRCS employees)
Nutrient Management Plans can be stand alone plans or part of a more comphrensive conservation plan

21. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SUMMARY (Cont.)
Soil, manure, and plant tissue testing will be done by the Land Grant University or by a recognized laboratory of the University
Fields located in a watershed indentified with impaired water quality associated with nitrogen or phosphorous will be assessed for potential transport of nutrients from the field using a Phosphorous Index (PI)

22. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SUMMARY (Cont.)
When animal manure or organic by-products are planned for field application, phosphorous application rates will be determined using one or more of the following;
Phosphorous Index (PI)
Phosphorous Threshold
Soil Test Phosphorous
Record Keeping - by the producer

23. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
SUMMARY
Implementation of this policy is scheduled for May, 2001

24. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT POLICY
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