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Nutrient Management

Nutrient management is the control of crop fertility management and other production practices for efficient crop growth and water quality protection. Nutrient management plans for site-specific situations minimize undesired environmental effects while optimizing farm profits and production.

Nutrient management planning (NMP) is a Best Management Practice or BMP. The term "nutrient management" is most often associated with animal manure management, but is applicable to all fertility crop inputs whether organic materials, livestock production by-products, or inorganic commercial fertilizers.

All BMP's are research-proven, commonsense, doable, and economical guidelines for applying manures and fertilizers in crop production. They should be followed anytime field applications are being made.

What is Nutrient Management Planning?

Nutrient management planning as such is a relatively new term, however the principles involved are basic, sound fundamentals necessary for good management of any business.

Nutrient management is:

• Knowing what you have
• Knowing what you need
• Managing wisely
• Documenting your management

Nutrient management plans must be site-specific. This does not mean satellite technology is necessary to develop one. They are tailored to the soils, landscapes, and management of a particular farm. In effect, NMP is much like developing a cash-flow analysis using pounds of N and P instead of dollars.

Steps of Nutrient Management Planning

• 1) Obtain accurate soil information for each field or management unit. This could require a new farm soil map or adaption of existing NRCS maps. Soil samples should be obtained and analyzed according to recognized soil fertility analytical procedures.

• 2) Estimate yield potential for each field based on soil productivity and intended management. It is impossible to foretell growing seasons, but average yields over last 5 to 7 years should provide a reasonable estimate. It is very, very important to be realistic.

• 3) Calculate plant nutrients required to reach the yield potential. Nutrient uptake and removal data for common crops are available from the NRCS, the local Extension office, and several links below. It is important to distinguish between uptake, or use by the growing crop, and removal, or the physical displacement of the nutrients from the field in the harvest.

• 4) Determine the plant-available nutrients in any livestock by-product amendments. The best method is to sample the manures to be used on the field. Table values are available, but accurate nutrient content of manure is site/animal/diet/management specific. Instructions on sampling and analysis of animal manures are available from the local Extension office.

• 5) Estimate residual nutrient contributions from fertilizer or manures applied in previous seasons. Manures are the original slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. Usually about 50% of the nitrogen content is available to growing plants the first year following application. Subsequent use is usually a sliding scale. The NRCS NMP Field Office Technical Guide has one such scale for use.

• 6) If necessary, use a environmental risk assessment tool, the Mississippi Phosphorus Index (PI), to determine the potential for offsite movement of nutrients on a field-by-field basis. The PI incorporates site specific soil conditions and applied BMP's in the evaluation process. Soil test phosphorus levels, soil permeability, field slopes, litter application rates, distance to surface water, and other factors are used to determine the probability of nutrient movement in the landscape. If the PI rating is low, NM may be based on crop nitrogen needs. If the PI is medium, additional BMP's may need to be utilized. If the PI shows a high potential risk for P movement in the landscape, NM should be based on crop P requirements.

• 7) Apply animal manures and/or commercial fertilizers to supply nutrients when needed by the growing crops using Best Management Practices.

• 8) Keep records of nutrient sources, application dates, rates, and methods.

Assistance in Nutrient Management Planning

Nutrient management plans are required as part of the governmental permitting process for various animal operations in Mississippi. For these required plans, NMP's developed according to the Standards of the Mississippi Natural Resources Conservation Service are acceptable.

These formal plans may be developed by local agents of the Natural Resource Conservation Service or other state approved alternative providers of conservation planning services such as crop consultants or professional engineers.

Nutrient management plans may be developed for other uses by the planners listed above or other trained personnel. Individual farmers may develop NMP's to utilize in their own management system or to meet lender requirements.

Nutrient Management Planning Summary:

• Know the soils and fields of your farm
• Be real about what you can produce
• Determine the nutrients you will remove
• Find out what you have available from this year's application
• Calculate nutrients available from previous applications
• Assess environmental risk of nutrient movement
• Use common sense in putting it out
• Keep relevant field records

Best Management Practices for Nutrient Management Using Manure

• Use soil testing to assess fertility status and follow the recommendations.
• Determine nutrient and moisture content of the manure.
• Use commonsense, attainable yield goals.
• Use the Phosphorus Index to determine application guidelines.
• Rotate fields receiving manure to avoid nutrient buildup and maximize nutrient utilization.
• Use additional fertilizers only when manure nutrients do not meet crop yield goals.
• Incorporate manure when possible. 
• Calibrate application equipment.
• Avoid applying manure on wet soils to minimize compaction, runoff and leaching/denitrification.
• Avoid surface application of manure near surface waters.
• Use grass filter strips along ditches and waterways to reduce soil erosion, runoff and nutrient losses.
• Manage overall water flow to maximize water time on the soil surface before drainage.
• For annual crops, apply manure as close to the time of crop utilization as possible.
• Utilize fall cover crops to minimize soil erosion and runoff and to maximize nutrient utilization from manure applications.

Publications

Poultry Nutrient Management for environmentally responsible producers
Poultry Nutrient Management Through Livestock Feedstuffs
Poultry Nutrient Management Awareness Program for Growers
Producers for Responsible Environmental Preservation and Sustainability
Useful Nutrient Management Planning Data
Using Poultry By-Products in Forage Production
Nitrogen in Mississippi Soils
Phosphorus in Mississippi Soils
Soil Testing for the Farmer
Managing Animal Wastes
You and Animal Wastes

Other Soil Information

CNMP Watch: The focus of CNMP Watch is regulatory permitting, manure management, management of land application of animal manure, including strategies and technologies associated with land spreading, and nutrient management planning.
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Water Quality Information Center, National Agricultural Library
Land Application of Animal Wastes, (this contains links to sample worksheets)
Soil and Water Conservation Society is concerned with protecting all resources.
Conservation Tillage Information Center NMP info
Purdue Manure Application overall guidelines for using manure in crop production
Purdue Poultry Manure Management Planning has worksheets, nutrient budgets, and crop nutrient uptake and removal data.
Fertilizer Management