Nutrient Management Training and Certification

Nutrient Management Strategy (NMS)

An NMS sets out an environmentally acceptable method for managing all prescribed materials generated at an agricultural operation by ensuring that there is sufficient safe storage or a plan for where the nutrients will be land applied or transferred to another farm operation. It is required by regulation if the agricultural operation is phased-in.

Nutrient Management Plan (NMP)

An NMP is intended to optimize the relationship between land application of nutrients, farm management techniques and crop uptake of nutrients while minimizing the environmental impact.

Remember:

• NMS
  • focus on generation, storage and destination of nutrients.
• NMP
  • focus on application of nutrients.

Non-Agricultural Source Material (NASM) Plan

A  NASM Plan is a NMP for the management of non-agricultural source materials (NASM) that may be applied or stored.  A NASM Plan focuses on application of non-agricultural source materials to specific fields for specific crops.  A NASM Plan may also include storage information, if applicable.

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Phased In

An agricultural operation is considered phased-in and required to follow the Nutrient Management legislation if any one of the following conditions is met:

• the number of farm animals on a farm unit is sufficient to generate 300 or more nutrient units annually
• generating 5 or more nutrient units annually and an application for a building permit for livestock housing or a manure storage is submitted to the municipality, or in an unorganized territory, where livestock housing or manure storage is constructed
• generating 5 or more nutrient units annually and an earthen permanent nutrient storage facility is constructed
• construction of regulated mixed anaerobic digester
• off-farm anaerobic digestion material is received for treatment in a regulated mixed anaerobic digestion facility

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Factsheet: Understanding when Farms Require a NMS, NMP or NASM Plan