1. Nutrient Management as Risk Management
Original Power Point Created by
Tom Morris
Modified by the GA Agriculture Education Curriculum Office
July 2002

2. Importance of Nutrient Management
The Clean Water Act of 1972 requires a permit for nutrient discharge on large livestock farms
Large livestock farmers and eventually (my opinion) all farmers will be required to minimize nutrient loss from farmsteads and fields

3. Nutrients?
The nutrients of environmental concern are nitrate and phosphorus
Nitrate: excesses can cause human health problems
Phosphorus: excesses cause problems with algae growth in lakes and ponds
Manure and commonly used fertilizers contain nitrate and phosphorus

5. Managing Risk on the Farm
Farmers manage many types of risk
risk of injury from use of machinery
risk of injury from animals
risk of injury from physical labor
risk of reduced income from low milk prices
risk of insufficient land base

6. How are Risks Managed? Insurance, health and life
Developing long- and short-term plans for the future
Increase your knowledge
Hire person to provide specialized knowledge, for example: feed consultant

7. Nutrient Management as a Risk
Short-term or acute risk: Manure spill, odor from lagoon and spreading in spring
Long-term risk: Excess nutrients (manure) creates a long-term risk for a farm. Accumulations of nutrients in the soil creates a greater risk of nutrient loss from fields.

8. How to Manage the Risk of Nutrients
Short-term risk of manure spill: buy better equipment, keep old equipment in good repair, don’t overfill spreader, etc.
Short-term risk of odor from manure: create better relations with neighbors, add pine sol to manure, etc.
Long-term risk of excess nutrients: develop a nutrient management plan (NMP)

9. What is a Nutrient Management Plan?
A description of the amount and distribution of nutrients on the farm. Includes the nutrients stored in the soil.
A plan to manage the nutrients properly by better distribution of the nutrients.
A record keeping system to manage the nutrients and to demonstrate better management
A plan to export nutrients if the farm has excess nutrients (manure)

10. Record Keeping
Field-by-field record keeping is the primary tool to manage the long-term risk of nutrients on a farm
Records by field of quantity and date of manure and fertilizer applications, and crop yields

11. Summary
Improper management and accumulation of nutrients can create unnecessary risks for livestock farms (also other farms) and for the environment
Nutrient Management Plans minimize the risk of nutrients on the farm.