Section 15 - Conservation Practices

Conservation practices are specific structural, managerial, or cultural treatments of natural resources commonly used to meet specific needs in planning and carrying out soil and water conservation programs.  Conservation practices are closely related to agricultural best management practices (BMPs).  Both categories represent practices that are known to protect land, air, and water quality.  Voluntary adoption of these practices is encouraged by all livestock operations.  It is not expected that all operations should adopt all of the practices listed.  Rather, operators should evaluate these practices and adopt as many as they can that fit within their management system.  Review the conservation/best management practices described below.  Indicate which practices are implemented using the worksheet below and incorporate as part of your record keeping system.

Summary of implemented conservation/best management practices:

• Lot and storage

• Nutrient management

• Manure application

• Land management

Conservation Practices

Part 1. Lot and storage

Instructions: Place a check mark in each box indicating which conservation practices have been implemented, if practices will be implemented in the near future, or if practices are not necessary.
 

Conservation Practice Data Table

Practice	Implemented	Implement in 2001	Implement in 2002	Not necessary
Berm, ditch, gutter or otherwise divert all clean storm water away from the lot and manure stockpiles or bunkers
Pipe or otherwise enclose ditches or small streams that run through or near the lot
Locate manure stockpiles and lagoons above the flood plain and away from surface water sources and well heads
Contain all runoff from manure stockpiles and lot areas
When scraping soil-based lots do not disrupt the compacted surface layer that acts as a barrier to leaching
Design manure bunkers and wastewater lagoons based on realistic storage periods for your location, field access, and manure, wastewater and runoff volumes generated
Inspect lagoons and liquid manure storage ponds regularly to ensure seepage does not exceed state and local restrictions
Compost manure to reduce spreading volume or to market manure to off-farm users.

Part 2. Nutrient management

 Instructions: Place a check mark in each box indicating which conservation practices have been implemented, if practices will be implemented in the near future, or if practices are not necessary.
 

Implemented Conservation Practices

Practice	Implemented	Implement in 2001	Implement in 2002	Not necessary
Develop a nutrient management plan including estimates of on-farm manure production, crop yield and nutrient uptake, soil/water/manure analysis, appropriately calculated manure application rates and timing
Base manure application rates on phosphorus if soil test phosphorus is in the high or very high categories, the field drains to any sensitive water body, and phosphorus movement is likely
Apply supplemental commercial nitrogen and phosphorus to manured fields only when it has been determined that nutrients from manure will not satisfy crop needs
Utilize the Phosphorus Index to assess the degree of risk of phosphorus transport to surface waters and to make management changes which reduce that risk
Maintain nutrient management plans and actual manure and fertilizer management records on file for a minimum of three years of the duration of a crop rotation
Scout fields for signs of nutrient deficiency or excess throughout the season in order to identify and correct problems that might limit crop yields

Part 3. Manure application

Instructions: Place a check mark in each box indicating which conservation practices have been implemented, if practices will be implemented in the near future, or if practices are not necessary.
 

Conservation Practices Implemented

Practice	Implemented	Implement in 2001	Implement in 2002	Not necessary
Incorporate manure as soon as possible after application to minimize volatilization losses, reduce odor, and prevent runoff
Apply manure uniformly with properly calibrated and operated equipment
Time liquid manure applications to match crop nutrient uptake patterns to reduce the potential for nitrate leaching
Limit solid manure applications on frozen or saturated ground to fields not subject to runoff
Create a buffer area around surface water and well sources where no manure is applied to prevent the possibility of water contamination
Apply manure on a rotational basis to fields that will be planted to high nitrogen use crops such as forages

Part 4. Land management

Instructions: Enter a number or identification code for each field. Place a check mark in each box indicating which conservation practices have been implemented on each field.
 

Conservation Practices Implemented 

	Field number or identification
Practice
Conservation tillage
Contour farming
Cover cropping
Strip cropping
Terracing
Crop rotation
Filter strips
Grassed waterways
Diversion
Sediment control basins

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