Checkoff Education on Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans Can Help Pork Producers - US - With the release of the Environmental Protection Agency's final Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) rule in December, the Pork Checkoff continues to help producers ...

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... understand the role of Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) in regulation compliance.

The CNMP Producer Curriculum, now available to producers, is designed to help pork producers understand how a CNMP can help them make solid business decisions in production efficiency, economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

"A CNMP is an environmental plan for operation on the farm," said Steve Stover, a CNMP developer for the Pork Checkoff's pilot program. "Understanding what a CNMP is can help producers know if they should have a CNMP help them identify practices that can benefit their operation."

The Pork Checkoff-funded CNMP pilot project helped nearly 40 operations develop a CNMP. The new curriculum applies what CNMP developers, consultants and pork producers learned in the pilot project.

"The project revealed many of the challenges, such as knowing what information is required, and having up-to-date soil tests, proper manure tests, a history of environmental information, operation and management plans and proper mortality management plans," said Stover. "The ability to overcome these challenges can improve an operation and help make CNMP development less complicated."

The Pork Checkoff developed this CNMP curriculum to inform producers about CNMPs and to identify the components and resources necessary to create a plan that meets state requirements and to help producers organize the information needed for CNMP development. Although a CNMP is not a required component of the CAFO rule, a plan can be used to fulfill CAFO requirements. Producers are encouraged to contact their state permitting authority to better understand regulations. All animal feeding operations are being encouraged to consider a CNMP to improve conservation practices, to comply with regulations and to gain efficiencies in nutrient management.

Under the new CAFO rule, operations defined as CAFOs must fulfill the nutrient management plan requirement in the rule by Dec. 31, 2006. The CAFO rule identifies CNMPs as a method for complying with the nutrient management requirement. CNMPs are also key for obtaining any cost-share funds from the 2002 Farm Bill for livestock operations. Producers planning to apply for EQIP funds for improved environmental practices on their farm will be required to have a CNMP.

To learn more about CNMPs, use the Pork Checkoff's CNMP Producer Curriculum. Pork producers can request the CNMP Producer Curriculum at no charge by calling the Pork Checkoff Producer Service Center at 800-456-PORK.

Source: National Pork Board - 17th February 2003