Livestock Nutrient Management Plans

Developing Livestock Nutrient Management Plans:
Preparation and Communication are Keys to Success
By Patrick Splichal – SES, Inc.:
January 2006

If you are certified to develop nutrient management plans (NMP) and comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMP) for livestock producers there are many opportunities for you under the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  Whenever a livestock producer receives cost-share money through the EQIP program to build a manure storage structure, install manure transfer equipment, build a mortality composter, or completes certain conservation practices, an NMP or CNMP is required.  In some states a livestock producer can obtain EQIP cost-share money by completing a CNMP or NMP, or a CNMP may be necessary for participating in NRCS’s Conservation Security Program.

With thoughtful planning and preparation, certified Technical Service Providers (TSP) can work successfully with livestock producers to develop NMPs and CNMPs.  As a TSP you may contract directly with a livestock producer who is then reimbursed by NRCS for your service or you may contract directly with an NRCS state office to develop multiple plans for multiple producers.  During the past two years a number of states have issued solicitations for development of such plans, including:  California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio and Oregon.  We’re sharing our experiences working with NRCS in Iowa and Missouri – experiences you can learn from and adapt for other states.

Fully Understanding the Bidding Process
When bidding NRCS NMP and CNMP work there are several important things you should remember:

  • Understand the scope of work in the solicitation.
  • Most states request a lump sum bid depending on the size of the livestock operation -- animal units -- or acres covered under the plan or a combination of both.  Without the general size of the operation defined in the solicitation, it is nearly impossible to submit a reasonable bid. 
  • Most states put a minimum and maximum number of plans to be developed within the contract and a time frame for development. 
  • When bidding on a state contract, it is imperative that you read and carefully consider the performance work statement (PWS). The level of detail required varies from state to state.  Often the PWS closely mirrors the NRCS National Template Statement of Work for a CNMP or the State’s Statement of Work for the 590 Nutrient Management Standard, which can be found in Section IV of the electronic Field Office Technical Guide.

 

Working Successfully with NRCS
Once you’ve been awarded a state contract, contact the NRCS state and field offices prior to beginning any work. This kick-off meeting with NRCS will lay the groundwork for the project and ensure your success.  Also, this meeting will help you identify administrative and other processes specific to the state.  For example, as a TSP in Iowa it is mandatory that you visit each NRCS field office in the county where you are working to access and copy producer files and meet with the NRCS District Conservationist or other point of contact.  While in Missouri, NRCS directs projects from the state office and county-level involvement is minimal. 

The following table provides examples of differences between NRCS administration in Iowa and Missouri.

Iowa

Missouri

Issued separate solicitations by regions of the state; grouped all livestock together.

Issued one solicitation for entire state, but separated bid items by type of livestock.

Issued all plans at one time; allowed 9 months for completion of all plans.

Used a task order system for 6 plans at a time; allowed 120 days to complete plans in task order.

Used multiple contracting officer representatives (COR) located regionally throughout the state.

Used one quality assurance evaluator (QAE) in state office as point-of-contact.

Required to visit each NRCS county field office; obtained information at the office.

Received all direction and written documentation through the state office.

NRCS web site had a livestock NMP and a CNMP plan template.

No templates available.

TSP required to run RUSLE2 to calculate soil loss so that P-Index could be calculated.

RUSLE2 results provided to TSP by the NRCS.

Three-part P-Index (erosion, run-off and subsurface drainage).

One-part P-Index; fewer factors; does not require phosphate application method and amount.

Acceptable to balance manure nutrients with general crop rotation and acres available for spreading.

Required the year-by-year and field-by-field exact amount of manure and commercial fertilizer that could be applied to each individual field.

Different crop nutrient removal values; e.g., three corn nitrogen requirement values depending on area of state.  Allow up to 1 pound nitrogen credit per bushel yield for soybeans capped at 50 lb/ac.

Corn nitrogen requirements calculated by yield goal for grain removal and vegetative growth requirements minus a soil organic matter mineralization credit.  Nitrogen credit from soybeans capped at 30 lb/ac.

Different manure nutrient availability factors, e.g., all nitrogen in liquid swine manure available in first year.

Year-by-year and cumulative organic nitrogen mineralization factors for liquid swine manure.

Sensitive areas – The 590 Standard has specific setback distances from sensitive areas.

Sensitive areas – The 590 Standard has general language regarding setbacks; however, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has specific setbacks for the application of manure.

Completing the Plans
A good first step towards success is to schedule a kick-off meeting with your NRCS point of contact to determine administrative and technical requirements.  These will vary from state to state. Also, provide your state’s NRCS evaluator with an example of your first completed plan to review before you develop additional plans.  This gives the NRCS evaluator an opportunity to determine if your format and content meet scope-of-work requirements.  This initial review will ensure that your plans meet all requirements and avoid time consuming changes to multiple plans.  

Also important to success, keeping NRCS informed of your progress and any issues related to completing plans on schedule.  The state NRCS contacts are there to work with TSPs to ensure that the plan development process is efficient and successful.

Working with Producers
Advance preparation is the key to a productive on-farm visit with the producer.  Livestock producers, like most people, are busy and will appreciate advance notification of your visit and information requirements for completing their plan.

Before the visit:

  • Ask the NRCS field office to make initial contact with the producer by telephone or letter as an “ice breaker” to facilitate your visit and information collection.
  • Contact the producer by telephone or letter to schedule your visit.
  • Provide the producer in advance with a detailed list of the written records and information you’ll need to complete his plan, e.g. soil tests, manure tests, crop yields, spreading logs, etc.
  • Build in time to necessary to educate the producer about obtaining current soil and manure testing samples and to collect this information.
  • Request and review the producer’s biosecurity protocols before visiting his livestock operation, so that you are not the cause of disease spread or outbreak. 
  • Finalize the date and time for the farm visit with the producer and provide him with your contact information, including telephone number, in case plans change.

Making the visit:

  • Be thoroughly prepared for the farm visit -- use a checklist to maximize the producer’s time and minimize follow-up telephone calls or requests for information – be efficient.
  • Be courteous and professional. 
  • Answer all of the producer’s questions.

Soil Tests
Most states require that soil testing be conducted a minimum of once every four years and that a composite soil sample represents no more than 20 acres.  Soil testing typically must be conducted by a certified and state-approved laboratory.  In our experience about 50 percent of producers have current soil tests from all fields they’ve spread manure on or plan to spread manure on.  The other 50 percent of producers have no soil tests, old soil tests, or have only sampled part of their land application fields.  The soil sampling requirements of plan development can prove to be the biggest challenge to completing plans on time. 
Field technician
In most Midwestern states where row crops are the predominant field crops, there is a small window in the spring and fall when field conditions are most conducive to soil sampling.  Depending on when you start the planning process with the producer, the fields may or may not be suitable for soil sampling.  When working with the producers and NRCS, it is imperative that the TSP keep both parties informed about the status of soil sampling.  NRCS deadlines can be difficult to meet without soil sample results.  The field office can assist you by educating producers about the necessity of soil and manure samples when they sign their contracts with NRCS.

As a TSP, preparation and communication will ensure that you can successfully work with NRCS state and field offices and livestock producers to meet nutrient management plan requirements and deliver plans on time.  Our experiences in Iowa and Missouri demonstrate that taking the time to develop working relationships with NRCS and to learn each state’s requirements will provide a solid base from which to develop plans working directly with producers or through NRCS.

Author/Company Profile

Mr. Patrick Splichal is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) and a Technical Service Provider (TSP) certified in the areas of nutrient management and land treatment practices for nutrient management planning for inorganic and organic nutrients.  Mr. Splichal has 15 years of experience in environmental consulting, with the last 8 years concentrating on natural resource and environmental issues (water and air quality) related to the agricultural industry.  Over the last 5 years he has developed over 200 nutrient management plans for livestock and non-livestock producers in the Midwest.

SES, Inc. (SES) is an environmental and natural resources consulting firm based in Merriam, Kansas.  SES specializes in providing environmental services to the agricultural industry including nutrient management, permit compliance, air quality monitoring, environmental assessments, and site investigations.  In addition, SES provides training and planning services to states, counties, and the private agricultural sector regarding agro-security issues.  These agro-security services cover the full range of the agricultural sector from livestock and crops to food emergency response planning.