Md. Code Regs. 15.20.08.04 - Nutrient Management-Required Plan Content
A. A certified nutrient management consultant
or certified farm operator shall prepare, and an operator shall have and
implement, a nutrient management plan that conforms to the requirements in
§§B-G of this regulation.
B. Plan Identification. A plan shall contain:
(1) The operator name and address;
(2) The account identification number or
numbers for all tax maps and parcels contained in the plan;
(3) A county and watershed code of all land
under a nutrient management plan;
(4) The date the plan was prepared or
updated;
(5) The period of time the
plan covers;
(6) The name,
certification, and license number of the certified nutrient management
consultant responsible for the plan development; and
(7) The name and certification number of the
certified farm operator responsible for the plan development.
C. Map or Aerial Photograph.
(1) A plan shall contain one or more maps,
such as soil survey maps or aerial photographs, that identify:
(a) The location and boundaries of the
agricultural operation;
(b) The
individual field boundaries or management units;
(c) A field or management unit number or
identifier; and
(d) Acreage of each
field or management unit.
(2) The map or aerial photograph of the
features described in §C(1) of this regulation shall be clearly
recognizable. An agricultural operation sketch or soil survey map may be used
when a map or aerial photograph is not available, if the features described in
§C(1) of this regulation are clearly recognizable.
D. Plan Elements. A plan shall contain the
following, when applicable:
(1) All nutrient
recommendations for the period the plan is effective, including crop rotations
or recommendations for alternative cropping plans, if applicable, within
specific field or management unit information, described under §E of this
regulation;
(2) The type and
average number of animals annually raised, maintained, or housed on the
agricultural operation;
(3) The
quantities of animal manure or waste produced and available from animal housing
or waste storage structures during the period the plan covers;
(4) The total animal manure used as crop
nutrients, including manure from on-farm and off-farm sources, and its nutrient
analysis;
(5) The quantity of
animal manure or waste and location of alternative use, including land
application off-site, processing, composting, or other uses of unused animal
manure or waste;
(6) The source and
type of information used to determine expected crop yield or plant production
goal;
(7) Any recommendation to
change management, install additional best management practices, or implement
alternative technologies to reduce risk potential for nutrient
movement;
(8) Any recommendation to
ensure efficient application of fertilizers; and
(9) Any determination of the limiting
nutrient as required under Regulation .04 of this chapter, including use of a
risk analysis tool indicating the potential for nutrients to move into surface
water or ground water, based on current conditions.
E. Field or Management Unit Specific
Information. A plan shall contain data for each field or area where nutrients
will be applied and shall include:
(1) The
date the recommendations are prepared or updated;
(2) An account identification
number;
(3) The watershed location
code;
(4) The field or management
unit number or identifier and acreage;
(5) A soil analysis;
(6) The expected crop or plant and expected
crop yield or plant production goal for the period covered by the
plan;
(7) Any crop rotation or
recommendation for alternative cropping plans, if applicable, to:
(a) Provide the operator greater flexibility,
and
(b) Minimize the need for a
plan update;
(8) The
primary nutrient requirements based on expected crop yield or plant production
goals;
(9) Any available nutrients
in the soil from the previous crop and mineralization and bioavailability
assumptions for organic nutrient sources;
(10) The nutrients to be applied from all
fertilizer sources to meet the crop or plant nutrient requirements;
(11) Any recommendation for:
(a) The liming of the soil,
(b) The application time for nutrients,
including split applications, and the use of diagnostics to determine crop
nutrient requirements,
(c) Any
nutrient application method,
(d)
The need to calibrate application equipment,
(e) The incorporation of natural organic
fertilizers, and
(f) Any management
strategy to achieve soil fertility within an optimal range; and
(12) Current or recommended
tillage method.
F.
Summary of Nutrient Recommendations. A plan shall contain a summary section
that lists the following information for each farm field or management unit:
(1) The field or management unit identifier
or number;
(2) The field or
management unit acreage;
(3) The
expected crop or plant;
(4) The
expected crop yield or plant production goals for the period covered by the
plan;
(5) Any recommended nutrient
rates;
(6) The amount and type of
nutrients, including chemical fertilizer or natural organic fertilizer, per
acre or management unit;
(7) The
nutrient application method and, if application method requires incorporation
of the nutrient, timing for incorporation; and
(8) Any liming recommendations, if
needed.
G. Plan
Maintenance. A plan shall contain information to maintain and update a nutrient
management plan. General comments about plan maintenance may be summarized and
shall include:
(1) The length of time the
plan is effective;
(2) The
circumstances or changes in the farm operation that would require the plan to
be modified or updated, including a change:
(a) To the planned crop or cropping rotation,
or introduction of a new crop not currently addressed in the existing nutrient
management plan, unless the new crop or plant will have fertility management
similar to that originally planned,
(b) Of nutrient source or soil test results
that indicate a change in nutrient recommendations,
(c) In acreage managed of 10 percent or
greater, or 30 acres, whichever is less, or
(d) In animal units of 10 percent or greater
if resultant manure production will require significant management adjustments;
and
(3) Any information
on soil fertility and management strategies for achieving soil fertility within
an optimal range.
Notes
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