STATE TECHNICAL MEETING

February 14, 2013

AGENDA

• Ag Water Quality Plans

• Nutrient Management Plans– Options for producers

KY AGRICULTURE WATER QUALITY ACT

• 10+ acres in agriculture or forestry must develop a water quality plan

• Anyone applying for cost share needs a water quality plan

• Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share Program (State cost share)• NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives

Program (EQIP)• GOAP County Ag Investment Program

(CAIP)

www.ca.uky.edu/awqa

• Monitor soil fertility, so that crop needs are met while minimizing the loss of nutrients.

• Provide the crop with the correct amount of nutrients at the optimum time and location possible so they are utilized efficiently.

• Limit the amount of plant nutrients lost to leaching, runoff, volatilization.

Nutrient Management

LIVESTOCK BMP #11/CROPS BMP #14

AWQP MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Comply with NRCS Code 590 (2001) unless required by federal program participation, which requires NRCS Code 590 (2013).

• Manage manure in a manner that prevents degradation of water, soil, air, and that protects public health and safety.

• Sufficient land must be available for a disposal area without overloading soils or exceeding crop requirements.

• Minimize edge-of-field delivery of nutrients where no setbacks are required.

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Who needs what?

• KY NRCS 590-based CNMPs are for:– Those AFOs that produce animal waste.

• They do not necessarily have to land apply it• Example: Some poultry operations produce and export all the litter

– Operations receiving technical assistance and/or cost share from NRCS for nutrient management or require practices to manage animal waste.

*Can be used to obtain a KY Division of Water permit (KNDOP)

• KY NRCS 590-based NMPs are for:– Land application of commercial fertilizers, and other nutrient

sources that are not produced on the farm– Receiving technical assistance and/or cost share from NRCS for

nutrient management or apply inorganic or organic fertilizers and don’t have livestock

Who writes these?• NRCS Technical Service Providers (TSPs) write CNMPs• NRCS employees can write NMPs

BOTTOM LINE• The KY NRCS 590-based CNMP is

very complicated to develop.• As a result, the AWQA has added

another option for developing NMPs – KY producers can still use the NRCS

code 590 (2001) practice standard.–Meanwhile we are working on the

KyNMP document.

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Who needs what?

• KyNMP– Need a nutrient management plan to comply

with the KY Ag Water Quality Act– Need an FSA loan*Can be used to obtain a KY Division of Water permit (KNDOP)

Who could write these?• Producers can write their own, fee-for-service

planners, Conservation District Employees, etc.

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Nutrient Management

Phosphorus ThresholdSTP Interpretation

< 400Manure applications can be made based on

crop nitrogen requirements

401-600

Phosphorus applications at rates not to exceed the estimated removal of phosphorus

in the harvested plant biomass

601-800

Phosphorus applications at rates not to exceed 1/2 of the estimated removal of

phosphorus in the harvested plant biomass

>800Phosphorus applications are no longer

allowed

KYNMP (2013)

Recent Soil Sample collected within the Last Year

KYNMP RECOMMENDED SETBACKS

Liquid Manure OperationsDry Manure Operations

SETBACK FEATURE(

1)

Barn or

Lagoon

Land Application Distance

Barn and/or

Manure Storage Structur

e (Facilitie

s)

Land Applica

tion Distanc

e

Injection/ Incorporati

onOther

MethodLake, river,

blue-line stream,

conduit to surface

waters, or karst

feature150 feet

35a or 75 feet

50a or 100 feet 150 feet

35a or 75 feet

Water well not owned

by applicant(2

)300 feet

75a or 150 feet

75a or 150 feet 300 feet

50a or 100 feet

(1) Measured from the edge of the barn, lagoon, or land application area to the nearest edge of the setback feature.(2) Existing at the time the first animal feeding operation permit is issued.(a) Utilizing one or more of the following BMPs: Vegetative or forest buffer, cover crops, no-till, contouring, terracing.

NUTRIENT APPLICATION TIMING

SPRING

• BEST time to spread manure–Will lose less N and have the most

nutrients available for plant growth

• Do not apply to cool-season forages in Spring– Could increase N loss and weed

competition

SUMMER

• Greatest risk of N loss through ammonia volatilization

• Warm-season hay• Bermudagrass and Sudangrass

FALL• Cool-season pasture and hay

fields benefit from Fall applications of manure

• Nutrient removal is low – STP testing to avoid going over P

threshold

• Cover crops• Manure should not be applied in

Fall on fields without a cover crop

WINTER• Application opportunities are

limited• Storage capacity should be large

enough to hold until Spring• Manure should not be applied in

Winter on fields without a cover crop

• Do NOT apply to snow covered or frozen fields

SUMMARY• Similar concept as in 590

(2001/2013)– Inventory nutrients available (manures)– Determine crop needs– Distribute nutrients so that crop needs

are met without overloading soils

• Producer can write his/her own plan• Benefit = better understanding of

their operation and nutrient management concepts

• Adaptive management can improve efficiency, production, and economic returns

QUESTIONS?

Phosphorus ThresholdSTP Interpretation

< 400Manure applications can be made based on

crop nitrogen requirements

400-800

Phosphorus applications at rates not to exceed the estimated removal of phosphorus

in the harvested plant biomass

800-1066

Phosphorus applications at rates not to exceed 1/2 of the estimated removal of

phosphorus in the harvested plant biomass

>1066Phosphorus applications are no longer

allowed

OLD 590 (2001)

CountyField

Stream

New Phosphoru

s Index

P Index Estimates Average Annual P Delivery

Tillage

Rotation crops and yields

Manure Applications

P Fertilizer Applications

Downfield Slope to Surface Water

Distance to Surface Water

County

Soil Test P and Organic Matter

Field Slope

Field Slope Length

Soil TypeSoil Type

Contour and filter practices

Kentucky Nitrogen and Phosphorus IndexProposed release date: January, 2013

New P-Index risk score if field is 30 feet from water body

Scenario: Corn silage 22 Tons; Winter wheat 55 Bushels

Dry dairy manure 25 Tons/acre applied , incorporated