Nutrient Management Planning

Canada-Manitoba Farm Stewardship Program

Steve Sager, P.Ag.Soil Resource Specialist

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada-PFRAMorden, Manitoba

Manitoba BMP Listing1) Improved Manure Storage and Handling 16) Improved Pest Mgmt

2) Manure Treatment 17) Nutrient Recovery from Waste Water

3) Manure Land Application 18) Irrigation Mgmt

4) In-Barn Improvements 19) Shelterbelt Establishment

5) Farmyard Runoff Control 20) Invasive Alien Plant Species Control

6) Relocation of Livestock Facilities 21) Enhancing Habitat and Biodiversity

7) Wintering Site Mgmt 22) Species at Risk

8) Product & Waste Mgmt 23) Preventing Wildlife Damage

9) Water Well Mgmt 24) Nutrient Mgmt Planning10) Riparian Area Mgmt 25) Integrated Pest Mgmt Planning

11) Erosion Control Structures – Riparian 26) Grazing Mgmt Planning

12) Erosion Control Structures – Non-Riparian 27) Soil Erosion/Salinity Control Planning

13) Land Mgmt for Soils at Risk 28) Biodiversity Enhancement Planning

14) Improved Cropping Systems 29) Irrigation Management Planning

15) Cover Crops 30) Riparian Health Assessment

24. Nutrient Management Planning BMP

(Cost-share – 50% up to $4,000)Objective:

Assist in developing a protocol/process for nutrient application tailored to: cropping system, management and environmental risk.

•Soil type

•Crop & yield

•Environmental Risk (leaching, runoff)

•Recommendations on timing, rate and form

•Establish monitoring and record keeping program

What is a Nutrient Management Plan? The plan has 10 components (Manitoba Template):

1. Locate facilities and fields on maps2. Identify environmentally sensitive areas3. Specify crop rotation4. Determine expected yields5. Obtain results of soil, plant and manure analysis6. Account for nutrients from all sources available on the farm7. Develop a nutrient budget for each field8. Make recommendations of nutrient rate, timing, form and method of application9. Review and modify plan as needed10. Maintain records and complete a nutrient budget

NMP Summary - Manitoba• 471 applications approved• Ave. funding/client - $3,150 ($6300 total)• 5-6 companies providing >80% of the acres• Typical cost per acre – $4-$8/acre• Manitoba Water Stewardship has an additional

top-up of 25%• Very Timely – producers are purchasing GPS,

mapping and variable rate technology, improved seeding and fertilizing placement equipment, making implementation of NMP much easier

NMP Summary (cont’t)• Many Nutrient Management Plans are part of an

agronomic package that may include:– Integrated Pest Management– Irrigation Management– Erosion Control

• Range of products and services dependant on cropping systems, equipment and management.

• Minimum criteria must be met before payment can be made.

Manitoba Sask. Alberta

Applications(Approved/Paid)

471 215 171

Funding $1,480,000 $603,000 $568,000

NMP - Prairies

Manitoba Observations:

• Many consultants were providing products and services that met most of the required criteria. Common adjustments included:– Identifying Environmental risk (leaching,

runoff, buffers)– Packaging all components of NMP– Monitoring and Record Keeping

Nutrient Management Planning BMP:

- allowed growers to try NMP (first time)

- expand acreages/services

- try new consultant/agronomist

Why NMP (growers)?

• Improved net return per acre

• Reduced fertilizer inputs

• Recommendations for decision making

• Time

• Record keeping

• Structure

14. Improved Cropping Systems:

- 3000 applications

Activity Cost Share

Maximum

Narrow openers on seeding & post seeding implements - low disturbance placement of seed & fertilizer. 30 % $15KChaff collectors or spreaders (existing combines)

Precision farming applicators: GPS to collect info., GPS guidance, controllers for variable rate fertilizer application

Future Opportunities/Work• Economics

– Yields, net return/acre

• Environmental Benefit– Improved nutrient efficiency– Reduced application in sensitive areas

• Role of Equipment/Technology• Importance of Recordkeeping for future

decision-making

Questions?

Nutrient Trends of a Field

•Part of record keeping

Variable Rate – Zone Map

Example: intensive grid sampling for potatoes