WV Farm Bureau Magazine May 2013 | Page 18

Nutrient Management Planning Eric Thomason Nutrient management is the process of accounting for nutrient inputs and outputs on farms. It involves understanding the nutrient needs of a crop at a specified target yield and the nutrients required to produce that crop. The nutrients can come from residual amounts already in the soil or from added nutrients in the forms of fertilizers or manures. A Nutrient Management Plan is a nutrient balance sheet of all of the farmer’s fields and their associated crops, with a plan to supply the needed nutrients without adding too much of any nutrient. Nutrient Management Planners help farmers understand this process to supply adequate nutrients with the right amendments. Planners must be certified by passing a nutrient management exam and they must receive continuing education credits to keep abreast of new 18 West Virginia Fa Bureau News 18 West Virginia Farm Bureau News West irgi i Farm urea News es rgi reau materials and concepts. Although nutrient management programs have been around for quite some time, nutrient management planning and the development of nutrient management plans (NMPs) for individual farms have been gaining more interest and scrutiny in recent years. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture began a nutrient management planner certification program in 2000 due to increasing concerns with environmental issues and nutrient loading in water bodies such as the Chesapeake Bay. Regulations for controlling nutrients on farms have been discussed by federal and state regulatory agencies and the Farm Bureau is doing its best to protect the interests of farmers while at the same time encouraging environmental stewardship. Good farm management, and nutrient management in particular, can increase profits and may make the difference between a profit or a loss on the farm. Having a Nutrient Management Plan does not mean that anyone from the DEP or EPA is going to pay you a visit. They may pay you a visit but having a NMP will not prompt them to visit you because a NMP is your private document. A nutrient management plan is simply a good farm business management tool and it would be a great asset if you are ever the recipient of such a visit. Most West Virginia farmers already do a certain amount of nutrient management planning, even if they don’t technically have a written NMP. Have you ever taken a soil or plant tissue sample and sent it off to be analyzed? Have you ever sent a manure sample for analysis? If so, why? Perhaps you didn’t call it “nutrient management planning,” but you recognized the importance of putt