2. Develop a P management strategy when manure or organic by-products are applied during the crop rotation to minimize surface water quality impacts. Use either the Phosphorus Index (PI) in section a., or Soil Test Phosphorus Management Strategy found in section b. The single strategy chosen, either a. or b., shall be applied uniformly to all fields within a farm or tract.
Note: First year available N in manure applied to fields prior to legume crop establishment shall not exceed the first year’s annual N removal by legumes and companion crop. See Wisconsin Conservation Planning Technical Note WI-1, Part II B.4. Available N applied cannot exceed the N need or legume crop N removal of the next crop to be grown.
a. PI Strategy – The planned average PI values for up to an 8-year rotation in each field shall be 6 or lower. P applications on fields with an average PI greater than 6 may be made only if additional P is needed according to UWEX soil fertility recommendations. Strategies for reducing the PI, algorithms, and software for calculating the Wisconsin PI can be found at http://wpindex.soils.wisc.edu/. b. Soil Test Phosphorus Strategy - Management strategies based on soil test phosphorus may be used. Operations using this strategy shall have a conservation plan addressing all soil erosion consistent with the current crops and management or use the erosion assessment tools included with the Phosphorus Index model. In crop fields where ephemeral erosion is an identified problem, a minimum of one of the following runoff-reducing practices shall be implemented:
• Install/maintain contour strips and/or contour buffer strips. Refer to NRCS FOTG, Section IV, Standard 585, Strip Cropping, and/or Standard 332, Contour Buffer Strip.
• Install/maintain filter strips (NRCS FOTG, Section IV, Standard 393, Filter Strip) along surface waters and concentrated flow channels that empty into surface waters that are within or adjoin areas where manure will be applied.
• Maintain greater than 30% crop residue or vegetative cover on the soil surface after planting.
• Establish fall cover crops.
Available phosphorus applications from all sources shall be based on the following soil test P values (Bray P-1).
(1) Less than 50 ppm soil test P: nutrient application rates allowed up to the N needs of the following crop or the N removal for the following legume crop.
(2) 50-100 ppm soil test P: P application shall not exceed the total crop P removal for crops to be grown over a maximum rotation length of 8 years.
(3) Greater than 100 ppm soil test P: eliminate P applications, if possible, unless required by the highest P demanding crop in the rotation. If applications are necessary, applications shall be 25% less than the cumulative annual crop removal over a maximum rotation length of 8 years.
(4) For land with potatoes in the rotation, total P applications shall not exceed crop removal over a maximum rotation length of 8 years if soil tests are in the optimum, high, or excessively high range for potatoes.
D. Additional Criteria to Minimize N and Particulate Air Emissions
Where air quality is identified in a conservation plan as a resource concern, apply a management strategy that minimizes nutrient volatilization and particulate losses while maintaining tolerable soil erosion levels for wind and water.
E. Additional Criteria to Protect the Physical, Chemical, and Biological Condition of the Soil
1. Nutrients shall be applied in such a manner as not to permanently degrade the soil’s structure, chemical properties, or biological condition.
2. To the extent practical, nutrients shall not be applied to flooded or saturated soil when the potential for soil compaction and/or the creation of ruts is high.
VI. Considerations
The following are optional management considerations and are not required practices.
A. Promote seeding and stabilization of concentrated flow channels, installation and maintenance of vegetative filter strips, riparian buffers and other buffer strips adjacent to surface water and wetlands in conjunction with other conservation practices in order to reduce the amounts of sediment and nutrients that reach surface water and/or groundwater.
B. Corn nitrogen recommendations in A2809 can be adjusted for the effects of current corn and nitrogen fertilizer prices using the N rate calculator available at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/NComparison.htm. Additional management practices that can be utilized to improve N use efficiency can be found in the Wisconsin Conservation Planning Technical Note WI-1, Part II. C. Apply nutrients not specifically addressed by this standard (i.e., secondary and micro nutrients) based on recommendations found in UWEX Publication A2809.
Since specific environmental concerns have not been identified for potassium (K), K additions in manure or bio-solids will be determined by rate limits for the N or P in those materials. Commercial fertilizer K applications equal to crop removal will avoid building soil test K levels. K may be applied equal to crop removal at any soil test K level. Dairy producers should monitor K levels in forages and take additional steps to reduce soil K levels if consumption of forage with high K levels becomes an animal health problem.
D. To minimize N leaching on medium and fine-textured soils, avoid fall commercial N applications for crops to be seeded the following spring. When commercial N is applied in the fall, use ammonium forms of N and delay N application until soil temperatures drop below 50°F. Use of a nitrification inhibitor with fall-applied N is recommended.
E. Irrigated fields should use irrigation scheduling strategies with the intent of minimizing leaching losses and improving water use efficiency and not exceeding intake/infiltration capacity of the soil.
F. Consider the use of animal feeding strategies based on published nutrition research findings (National Research Council, etc.) to reduce excess P in rations when manure applications are made to cropland.
G. Consider delaying surface applications of manure or other organic byproducts if precipitation capable of producing runoff is forecast within 24 hours of the time of planned application.
H. Consider modifications to the crop rotation to provide crop fields for the application of manure during the summer crop growing season.
I. Manure top-dressed on existing forages should not exceed the nutrient equivalent of 35 pounds N – 25 pounds P2O5 – 80 pounds K2O (first year availability per acre) or no more than 10 tons of solid manure per acre per harvest. Additional management considerations can be found in “Applying Manure to Alfalfa,” North Central Regional Research Report 346.
J. For fields directly adjacent to, or with areas of concentrated or channelized flow that drain directly to, Outstanding, Exceptional or nutrient impaired surface waters, avoid raising soil test P levels to the maximum extent practicable. In addition, implement conservation practices that reduce delivery of nutrients to these waters. For operations using the P-Index in high environmental risk areas, the P-Index values should be reduced to the maximum extent practicable by applying additional conservation practices.
K. Where residual nitrate carryover is probable, the preplant soil nitrate test is recommended to adjust N application rates.
VII. Plans and Specifications
A. The minimum requirements for a nutrient management plan are specified in the previous sections of this standard and expanded in Part I of the Wisconsin Conservation Planning Technical Note WI-1. Include in a nutrient management plan:
• a soil map and aerial photograph of the site;
• current and planned crops and crop yields; realistic yield goals;
• results of soil, plant, manure, or organic byproduct sample analysis;
• recommended nutrient application rates;
• documentation of actual nutrient applications including the rate, form, timing, and method. Revise the plan to reflect any changes in crops, yields, tillage, management, and soil or manure analyses;
• the location of sensitive areas and the resulting nutrient application restrictions;
• guidance for implementation, maintaining records;
• each field’s tolerable and actual soil losses;
• soil test P-ppm; P balance, or P Index level where applicable;
• other management activities required by regulation, program requirements, or producer goals;
• a narrative to explain other implementation clarifications.
B. Winter Spreading Plan – The plan shall identify those areas of fields that meet the restrictions for frozen or snow-covered ground identified in this standard. If necessary, land application of manure on frozen and snow-covered ground shall occur on those fields accessible at the time of application that represent the lowest risk of runoff and deliverability to areas of concentrated and channelized flow and surface waters. Low-risk fields shall be identified using either the P-Index or an approved conservation plan. In general, fields most suitable for land application during frozen and snow-covered ground conditions include those fields:
• with low slope,
• with low erosion,
• with high levels of surface roughness,
• with the greatest distance to surface waters and areas of concentrated flow,
• with no drainage to Outstanding/ Exceptional/nutrient impaired water bodies,
• with low delivery potential during active snowmelt.
Refer to section VIII.E for storage/infield stacking of manure during periods of active snowmelt.
C. Persons who review or approve plans for nutrient management shall be certified through any certification program acceptable to the NRCS (NRCS General Manual, Title 180, Part 409.9, NRCS TechReg) or other appropriate agencies within the state.
D. Industrial wastes and byproducts and municipal sludge are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). They must be spread in accordance with a Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit as obtained from the WDNR.
E. Plans for nutrient management shall be developed in accordance with policy requirements of the NRCS General Manual Title 450, Part 401.03 and Title 190, Part 402, the contents of this standard, the procedures contained in the National Planning Procedures Handbook, and NRCS National Agronomy Manual, Section 503.
F. Plans for Nutrient Management that are elements of a more comprehensive conservation plan shall recognize other requirements of the conservation plan and be compatible with the other requirements. A Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) is a conservation system unique to animal feeding operations (AFO). The CNMP will be developed to address the environmental risks identified during the resource inventory of an AFO. A CNMP will require use of all the applicable criteria in this technical standard along with the additional criteria located in NRCS National Planning Procedures Handbook, Subpart B, Part 600.54.
VIII. Operation and Maintenance
A. Document the actual nutrient application including the rate, form, timing, and method of the application. Revise the plan to reflect any changes in crops, tillage or management, soils, and manure tests.
B. Evaluate the need to modify field operations to reduce the risk of large nutrient losses during a single runoff event based on current field conditions or forecasted weather events.
C. Minimize operator exposure to potentially toxic gases associated with manure, organic wastes, and chemical fertilizers, particularly in enclosed areas. Wear protective clothing appropriate to the material being handled.
D. Protect commercial fertilizer from the weather, and agricultural waste storage facilities from accidental leakage or spillage. See Wisconsin administrative rules and county or local ordinances concerning regulations on siting, design, operation, and maintenance of these facilities.
E. During periods when land application is not suitable, manure shall be stored in a manure storage facility designed in accordance with the criteria contained in NRCS FOTG Standard 313, Waste Storage Facility. Temporary management of manure shall be in accordance with the criteria for temporary unconfined stacks of manure contained in Table 7 of Standard 313.
F. When cleaning equipment after nutrient application, remove and save fertilizers or wastes in an appropriate manner. If the application equipment system is flushed, use the rinse water in the following batch of nutrient mixture where possible or dispose of according to state and local regulations. Always avoid cleaning equipment near high runoff areas, ponds, lakes, streams, and other water bodies. Extreme care must be exercised to avoid contaminating potable drinking water wells.
G. The application equipment shall be calibrated to achieve the desired application rate.
IX. References
Cranberry Tissue Testing for Producing Beds in North America (1995) Davenport et al., Oregon State Univ. Ext. Serv. Pub. CM8610.
Mineral Nutrition for Fruit Crops, Roper, Univ. of Wisconsin Dept. of Horticulture Pub.
National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, National Academy Press, 7th Revised Edition, 2001.
Nitrogen for Bearing Cranberries in North America (2000) Davenport et al., Oregon State Univ. Ext. Pub.
North Central Regional Research Report 346, Applying Manure to Alfalfa, December 2003.
Phosphorus for Bearing Cranberries in North America (2004) Roper et al., Univ. of Wisconsin Ext. Pub.
USDA, NRCS, General Manual, Title 180, Part 409 Conservation Planning Policy, Wisconsin Supplement 409.9, Minimum Criteria to Achieve an NRCS Certified Conservation Planner Designation.
USDA, NRCS, General Manual, Title 190, Part 402, Nutrient Management.
USDA, NRCS, National Agronomy Manual, October 2002.
USDA, NRCS, National Planning Procedures Handbook, Amendment 4, March 2003.
USDA, NRCS, National Handbook of Conservation Practices, Subpart B, Part 600.54, Element Criteria for CNMP Development.
USDA, NRCS, Wisconsin Conservation Planning Technical Note WI-1, Companion Document to NRCS FOTG Standard 590, Nutrient Management.
USDA, NRCS, Wisconsin Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG), Section I, Erosion Prediction, Maps.
USDA, NRCS, Wisconsin Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG), Section II, Soil Interpretations (T-Value).
USDA, NRCS, Wisconsin Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG), Section IV, Practice Standards and Specifications.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A2100, Sampling Soils for Testing, May 2, 2001.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A2809, Soil Test Recommendations for Field, Vegetable, and Fruit Crops, revised 1998.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A3340, Corn Fertilization.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A3392, Guidelines for Applying Manure to Cropland and Pasture in Wisconsin, August, 1995.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A3422, Commercial Vegetable Production in Wisconsin, 2005.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A3512, Wisconsin’s Preplant Soil Profile Nitrate Test, 1990.
University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Publication A3517, Using Legumes as a Nitrogen Source, September 1997.
