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10.12.04

By RICKY BOURGEOIS

The Maryland Department of Agriculture will conduct meetings at three locations in the state during October to discuss changes made in nutrient managemnent policy based on recommendations from the 2003 Nutrient Management Summit.
The first of the meetings will be in Easton tonight at 7 o’clock, at the Talbot Community Center, 10028 Ocean Gateway (U.S. Highway 50).
In August of last year, farmers, members of environmental groups, government officials and others met for a day-long summit at Chesapeake College at Wye Mills in northern Talbot County for the purpose of amending the state’s requirements for nutrient management planning on individual farms, after farmers and environmentalists expressed concern over implementation of management plans. Principal among farmers’ concerns were excessive paperwork, a lack of flexibility to address cropping changes, and the “right-of-entry” requirement.
The Agriculture Department scheduled tonight’s meeting to hear public comments on changes that were made to state nutrient management requirements. Other meetings will be Monday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m., at the South Hagerstown High School Auditorium, 1101 South Potomac St., Hagerstown; and Tuesday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m., at Montgomery County Community College, Room 113 Globe Hall, 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown.
One change in regulations will allow a management plan to be drawn and implemented by a “certified farm operator” rather than by a “certified nutrient management consultant” only.
The Ag Department defines a certified farm operator as “an individual certified by the Department ... to prepare a nutrient management plan solely for an agricultural land that the individual owns or operates, or where the individual has a legal interest.”
To become certified, a farm operator is required to apply on department forms and pay applicable fees, and the department offers certification training and examinations that are targeted to specific farm operations at least once a year. An applicant who fails certification may retake examinations by applying at least 15 days before subsequent examinaton dates.
Certified farm-operator status would eliminate the need for a farmer to hire an outside consultant.
Certification is for one year and may be renewed for a three-year term. Whereas consultants are required to complete at least six hours of training within the first year and 12 additional hours within the three-year period, a certified farm operator is required to complete only two hours of initial training and an additional six hours within three years.
Another regulation change allows certified operators to maintain management practices beyond three years if that operator uses only commercial fertilizer and complies with soil-test requirements which verify a phosphorus fertility index value of 100 or less, and there have been no changes to the farming operation including crop rotation, tillage systems and yield goals.
New provisions allow operators who have submitted a plan to the department to provide only an annual report of nutrient applications for the previous year and a general summary of farm information. That would be accompanied by a statement assuring that the information is accurate and that a valid management plan will be followed for the current season and upcoming year.
Also, to cut down on paperwork, the department is developing a computer software program to allow electronic submission of the annual report.
Nutrient management regulations will focus on compliance rather than enforcement and penalties, such as denying incentive eligibility and issuing fines only as a last resort when no effort is made to comply.
Added to the department’s policy is a statement that plant growth requirements will be based on either University of Maryland Plant or Crop Nutrient Recommendations or on alternative standards using scientifically valid data that are acceptable to the department.
Summary documentation should include what criteria were used to determine yield goals, and new provisions allow for unavailable data due to new seed varieties, technologies or irrigation.
In new language concerning “right-of-entry” on-site compliance reviews, regulations state that the Department of Agriculture shall arrange a meeting with the farm operator “at a reasonable time and location,” and that allows the farm operator or property owner to be present, with at least 48 hours advance notice.