Nutrient Management Plan Checklist

Nutrient Management Plan Checklist: 

• Operator name and address  
• Location of all land under Plan (addresses or GPS coordinates) 
• Date the Plan was prepared or updated 
• Period of time the Plan covers (may be up to 3 years unless there is a change in management practice) 
• Name and contact information of the person responsible for the Plan development 
• Map or aerial photograph, which shall include: field boundaries, field names, field acreage, location of surface waters and public supply wells, and setbacks¹ if present. Use the following mapping resources if needed: 
  • Google Maps area calculator allows you to calculate field acreage easily: https://www.daftlogic.com/projectsgoogle-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm 
  • OLIVER: Mass GIS online mapping tool allows you to find and mark public water supplies, and Zone I’s on your land: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/map_ol/oliver.php 
  • Web Soil Survey allows you to map soil types on your land: 
    http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm 
• Current and/or planned crop and crop rotation for each field or management unit 
• Determination of nutrient needs for crop production based on test results, nutrient credits from preceding crops, UMass guidelines. 
  • Most recommendations for vegetable crops are available in the New England Vegetable Management Guide: 
  • https://nevegetable.org/ . It is not necessary to copy crop nutrient needs from this publication into your plan. 
  • UMass Guidelines recommend use of the Modified Morgan extraction method for field soils. Labs with this method include: UMass, UMaine, UVM, UConn, Dairy One (Cornell) and Spectrum Analytic. 
• Determination of whether a Nutrient Application Rate should be based on nitrogen or phosphorus as a limiting factor.
  • Above optimum or excessive phosphorus soils: Recommendations for Nutrient Application Rates on highphosphorus soils may be refined by conducting a risk assessment of phosphorus loss to Surface Waters, including the use of the Massachusetts NRCS Phosphorus Runoff Index or UMass recommended risk assessment procedures for high-phosphorus soils. 
• Inventory of Agricultural Byproducts and Nutrient Sources 
• Timing, amount and method of application for each field Record 

Record Keeping Checklist:

• Soil Test results and recommended Nutrient Application Rates
• Quantities, analyses, and sources of Plant Nutrients applied
• Dates and methods of nutrient application
• Crops planted

¹

Note which fields have the following setbacks:

1. within 100 feet of Surface Waters used for public water supplies;
2. in a Zone I of a Public Water Supply Well;
3. using a broadcast method either with or without incorporation within 50 feet from Surface Waters unless a Vegetated Buffer is present, in which case a setback of 25 feet applies;
4. by directed spray or injection of plant nutrients within ten feet from Surface Waters; or
5. on pastures and hayfields within ten feet from surface waters.