Is Nutrient Management Regulation Here?

Is Nutrient Management Regulation Here?

Nutrient Management

The past year or so has seen algae blooms in Lake Eire, lawsuits in Des Moines and courts ruling that manure if over applied is a pollutant.  Crops and Soils Magazine says, Risk Drives Demand for Professional Nutrient Management.  Their article is geared toward CCA's but the reality is that consultants and farmers are partners.  Irresponsible advice and irresponsible fertilizer and manure usage are problems for everyone involved.  Over application of manure can cause issues with pollution from excessive nitrogen and phosphorous.  I am still waiting for the first CCA in Illinois to be taken to task for selling nitrogen inappropriately in the fall.  We all need to work together to account for and use nutrients responsibly.

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

manure Nitrogen management Nitrogen Testing Nutrient Management

Illinois is implementing a voluntary nutrient loss reduction strategy.  The strategy was developed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the University of Illinois, The fertilizer industry, and commodity groups active in Illinois.  The purpose of the strategy is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous entering the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico. You can help to implement the strategy by applying phosphorous and potassium according to soil test indications.  You should consider applying nitrogen according to the Nrate calculator.  In season nitrogen tests and chlorophyll sensors are practices that might be useful to make in season corrections.

Another key to reducing nutrient loss is reducing soil loss on your farm.  High residue levels and no-till are very effective in soil loss reduction.  Sediment basins, grassed waterways, and filter strips can also be useful in keeping nutrients on the farm.  Safe manure handling is also part of the strategy.  It is time for farmers to get serious about the strategy to avoid further regulation.  A lot of environmentalists are saying it can't be done.  We all need to work together to prove them wrong.  

Soil Fertility P and K

Soil Fertility P and K

Nutrient Management soil fertility

I attended a soil fertility seminar sponsored by Extension Service yesterday.  It was a telenet conference and well attended.  The presenters all gave science based, research data supported presentations.

Dr. Fabian Fernandez of University of Minnesota started the day discussing application rates and methods for Phosphorous and Potassium. He discussed the merits of banding vs. broadcast placement of fertilizer and how to soil sample in banded fields.  While I don't recall him saying it flat out, he advocated for multiple cores per sample.

He had research to support his saying that there is little difference in banding vs broadcast.  In one study he found that tillage method made a bigger difference than fertilizer placement.  Strip till did better than No-till.  He also said that you shoould not skimp on rate even if you band fertilizer.

He told us that we should avoid shortcuts when taking soil samples and use our soil test information to manage our P and K.

Subsoil Phosphorous Problems

Subsoil Phosphorous Problems

Nutrient Management Phosphorous Management

Dissolved phosphorous in our surface water remains in the news.  One of the problems with dissolved phosphorous is that it becomes a problem at relatively low concentrations.  With nitrogen applied at agronomic rates, losses cut into yields.  With phosphorous, the losses are probably having an effect on yields.  Phosphorous losses also run counter to the basics we learned in beginning soils classes.  We were taught that phosphorous does not usually  leave the field except with soil particles, ie erosion. 

CSA news this month has an article that talks about phosphorous losses from subsoil.  The article goes on to say that there is good evidence that soil drainage is a culprit.  We can prevent or reduce phosphorous losses with tillage, but then we risk erosion losses.  We solve one problem and create another.  This study does not look at soil phosphorous test levels, but other information I have seen says that dissolved phosphorous in surface water increases as soil test phosphorous levels increase.  Nutrient stratification is also an issue.  We apply phosphorous over the top, even in no-till situations, but the surface applied phosphorous then concentrates at the surface and dissolves into otherwise fairly clean runoff.

In many ways the idea of over applying nutrients to store them for later is past.

• We need to reduce soil phosphorous levels where concentrations are high. 
• Tillage may be a good management tool where erosion is low risk.
• Manure needs to be applied to fields where the nutrients are need.  We can't just use the same field over and over as a disposal site.
• Applying nutrients on frozen or show covered ground can increase the risk of nutrient runoff, even though it won't happen every time.
• Keep soil test levels below 40 ppm Meilich 3 P.   

The above article concludes that we probably don't know enough about how to manage phosphorous to prevent problems. 

New EPA CAFO rules

New EPA CAFO rules

livestock Nutrient Management

By Janette Swartz - Soilright Consultant.

I attended the EPA’s meeting on the updated CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) rules. I thought I would give an update on the notes I took from the meeting.  If there is anything to take away from the meeting it would be recordkeeping.  If you have a Certified Manure Management Plan keep records when applying manure to the fields. The first thing the EPA will ask for if they show up at your farm are your records.

They discussed some best management practices that you should implement:

·       It’s important to have the proper crop information.

·       Use realistic crop yields.

·       Know the nutrient values of your manure.

·       Use the proper agronomic manure application rates.

·       Properly dispose of any chemicals.

·       Protocols for proper spill prevention and control.

·       Annual reviews of practices.

·       Maintenance of records.

·       Maintain Soil Analysis.

·       Test manure at least once a year.

The land application fields should now be sampled twice within five years. The phosphate levels need to be maintained at levels lower than 300 pounds per acre. The new rules state manure applications are to be 50 feet from a grass waterway when applying manure unless there is a vegetative buffer. The setback from a residence for manure applications are a quarter of a mile, two hundred feet for surface waters, and a hundred feet from a tile inlet. Applications of manure on snow covered or frozen ground will require a written notice to the EPA by December 1^stof that year.

Have a Balanced Nutrient Management Program

Have a Balanced Nutrient Management Program

Nitrogen management Nutrient Management

Everyone has seen von Liebig's law of minimums illustrated with the barrel.  Researchers have confirmed that nitrogen is less efficient when other nutrients are  lacking. No-till Farmer published the results.  It is always good to see what we preach confirmed by research.  We have seen nutrient deficiency manifest themselves in a deficiency in one nutrient when another nutrient is actually the culprit based on soil test results.  One of the ways that we are going to make nitrogen more efficient is by making sure that no nutrients are deficient. 

Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Criticized

Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Criticized

Nutrient Management

Prairie Farmer published criticism of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.  I am sharing this because it just demonstrates how important it is for farmers to attempt to follow the strategy.  There is still time to somnolent on the strategy as well.