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Nutrient Management Planning

What is a nutrient management plan?

Nutrient management allows farmers to apply the right source of nutrients at the right time, rate and place to meet crop needs and to minimize nutrient losses from fields.

Nutrient management plans account for all activities on the farm that could affect nutrient needs and losses during one crop rotation.

It also accounts for soil type, slope, crop rotations and residual nutrients, and includes both manure and commercial fertilizers.

A Nutrient Management Plan Requires:

Cost Sharing is Available

Cost-Sharing is intended to help get the initial nutrient management plan started. Once the four year contract is signed and a nutrient management plan submitted, the incentive is received. This helps cover the cost of soil testing and/or the cost of a plan writer.

This type of cost-sharing can also be used to implement cover crops.

Call Wood County Land & Water Conservation for current cost-share rates.

When is a nutrient management plan required?

Farms can be required to implement nutrient management with a cost share offer or if:

  • Causing significant discharge.
  • Regulated by local manure storage or livestock siting ordinances, or by a DNR WPDES permit,
  • Accepting manure storage cost share funds, or
  • Participating in the Farmland Preservation Program.

Farmers may work with a crop consultant or advisor to write their nutrient management plan, or may qualify to write their own plans by successfully completing a training course every four years.

Wood County partners with multiple counties to offer training for farmers to write their own plan every winter.

Nutrient Management Training Brochure

** CHECKLISTS are due MARCH 15 **