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:
- within 100 feet of Surface Waters used for public water supplies;
- in a Zone I of a Public Water Supply Well;
- 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;
- by directed spray or injection of plant nutrients within ten feet from Surface Waters; or
- on pastures and hayfields within ten feet from surface waters.