Nutrient Management

In 1998, the Water Quality Improvement Act (WQIA) was enacted and many changes were brought about which affected Maryland’s agricultural community. Most notable among the changes are the requirement for farmers to obtain and implement a nutrient management plan if they meet either of the following criteria for their agricultural operation:

1)    8 or more animal units (8,000 pounds of live animal weight) or

2)    $2,500 gross annual income from the agricultural operation

Each county extension office has a nutrient management advisor assigned to provide nutrient management–related services to that county’s farmers.  Nurseries and Greenhouses must use a private consultant Consultant List.  Extension nutrient management advisors can provide:

• No-cost nutrient management plan development, minus the cost of analyses for farmers in the counties to which they are assigned
• soil analysis for the Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Test (PSNT) and Fall Soil Nitrate Tests (FSNT), and
• instruction and assistance with manure spreader calibrations and yield goal checks.

In Queen Anne’s County, there are 110 agricultural producers who have had 389 plans done for 30,367.9 acres of farmland.

For further resources and general information on the ANMP, please visit www.anmp.umd.edu.

For program information and nutrient management planning needs in Queen Anne’s county, please contact Casey Foreman at cforema1@umd.edu or (410)758-0166 ext. 23.

Nutrient Management Resources

Proposed Regulations for Public Comments

Soil Sampling Procedures
Comparison of Soil Testing Labs
Manure Sampling Procedures
Comparison of Manure Testing Labs
Comparison of Compost Testing Labs
Tissue and Soil Sampling Procedures for Perennial Fruit Crops
Comparison of Plant Tissue Labs
Finding Account ID Numbers