1. Nutrient Management Planning Canada-Manitoba Farm Stewardship Program Steve Sager, P.Ag. Soil Resource Specialist Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada-PFRA Morden, Manitoba

2. Manitoba BMP Listing 1)Improved Manure Storage and Handling16) Improved Pest Mgmt 2)Manure Treatment17) Nutrient Recovery from Waste Water 3)Manure Land Application18) Irrigation Mgmt 4)In-Barn Improvements19) Shelterbelt Establishment 5)Farmyard Runoff Control20) Invasive Alien Plant Species Control 6)Relocation of Livestock Facilities21) Enhancing Habitat and Biodiversity 7)Wintering Site Mgmt22) Species at Risk 8)Product & Waste Mgmt23) Preventing Wildlife Damage 9)Water Well Mgmt 24) Nutrient Mgmt Planning 10)Riparian Area Mgmt25) Integrated Pest Mgmt Planning 11)Erosion Control Structures – Riparian26) Grazing Mgmt Planning 12)Erosion Control Structures – Non-Riparian27) Soil Erosion/Salinity Control Planning 13)Land Mgmt for Soils at Risk28) Biodiversity Enhancement Planning 14)Improved Cropping Systems29) Irrigation Management Planning 15)Cover Crops 30) Riparian Health Assessment

3. 24. Nutrient Management Planning BMP (Cost-share – 50% up to $4,000) Objective: Assist in developing a protocol/process for nutrient application tailored to: cropping system, management and environmental risk. Soil type Crop & yield Environmental Risk (leaching, runoff) Recommendations on timing, rate and form Establish monitoring and record keeping program

4. What is a Nutrient Management Plan? The plan has 10 components (Manitoba Template): 1. Locate facilities and fields on maps 2. Identify environmentally sensitive areas 3. Specify crop rotation 4. Determine expected yields 5. Obtain results of soil, plant and manure analysis 6. Account for nutrients from all sources available on the farm 7. Develop a nutrient budget for each field 8. Make recommendations of nutrient rate, timing, form and method of application 9. Review and modify plan as needed 10. Maintain records and complete a nutrient budget

5. NMP Summary - Manitoba 471 applications approved Ave. funding/client - $3,150 ($6300 total) 5-6 companies providing >80% of the acres Typical cost per acre – $4-$8/acre Manitoba Water Stewardship has an additional top-up of 25% Very Timely – producers are purchasing GPS, mapping and variable rate technology, improved seeding and fertilizing placement equipment, making implementation of NMP much easier

6. NMP Summary (cont’t) Many Nutrient Management Plans are part of an agronomic package that may include: –Integrated Pest Management –Irrigation Management –Erosion Control Range of products and services dependant on cropping systems, equipment and management. Minimum criteria must be met before payment can be made.

7. ManitobaSask.Alberta Applications (Approved/Paid) 471215171 Funding$1,480,000$603,000$568,000 NMP - Prairies

8. Manitoba Observations: Many consultants were providing products and services that met most of the required criteria. Common adjustments included: –Identifying Environmental risk (leaching, runoff, buffers) –Packaging all components of NMP –Monitoring and Record Keeping

9. Nutrient Management Planning BMP: -allowed growers to try NMP (first time) -expand acreages/services -try new consultant/agronomist

10. Why NMP (growers)? Improved net return per acre Reduced fertilizer inputs Recommendations for decision making Time Record keeping Structure

11. 14. Improved Cropping Systems: - 3000 applications ActivityCost Share Maximu m Narrow openers on seeding & post seeding implements - low disturbance placement of seed & fertilizer. 30 %$15K Chaff collectors or spreaders (existing combines) Precision farming applicators: GPS to collect info., GPS guidance, controllers for variable rate fertilizer application

12. Future Opportunities/Work Economics –Yields, net return/acre Environmental Benefit –Improved nutrient efficiency –Reduced application in sensitive areas Role of Equipment/Technology Importance of Recordkeeping for future decision-making

13. Questions?

15. Nutrient Trends of a Field Part of record keeping

17. Variable Rate – Zone Map

18. Example: intensive grid sampling for potatoes