WHAT IS NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING?
Nutrient management planning is a strategy for obtaining the maximum economic return from both on- and off-farm fertilizer resources in a manner that optimizes soil conservation and protects the quality of our ground and surface water resources.
IS THERE ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE?
Lafayette County Land Conservation and Planning & Zoning Department has been awarded funding from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide nutrient management training to agriculture producers and landowners in Lafayette County to develop compliant nutrient management plans in the 2023 year. Nutrient management refers to the use of manure and other fertilizers to meet crop nutrient needs, while reducing the potential for them to run off fields to lakes, streams and groundwater.
Through this grant, the Department will offer four training dates in 2023 – two in the spring and two in the fall.
In addition to the trainings, the following will be offered on a first come, first served basis:
- Agriculture producers or landowners who have never developed a nutrient management plan before will be paid a one-time incentive payment of $500 to 1) complete the self-paced Virtual Nutrient Management Curriculum, 2) attend one of the four trainings offered in 2023, and 3) develop a Nutrient Management plan with assistance from the County.
- First time agriculture producers or landowners are eligible for their first soil samples to be paid for at a maximum of $9 per sample up to $750.
- Returning participants to the program will receive a $100 incentive payment for updating and continuing to follow their nutrient management plan.
- Returning participants to the program are eligible for new soil samples, if required to update their plan, to be paid for at a maximum of $9 per sample up to $750.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the training dates...
ARE THERE ANY OTHER BENEFITS TO HAVING A NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN?
Having a compliant nutrient management plan may also open the opportunity to be eligible for the Farmland Preservation Program where compliant farms receive a tax credit per acre every year they are in compliance with nutrient management and state agriculture performance standards. Please contact the department for tax credit rates and eligibility.