3-Day Nutrient Management Planning Course for Small-Mid Scale Veg Producers

Million Acre Challenge

Three-day course: Nutrient management plan certification, personal plan-writing, and feedback session.

Anne Arundel County University of Maryland Extension Office

In response to feedback that we have received from farmers, and recognition of the complexity of the nutrient management planning process for highly diversified vegetable operations, University of Maryland and The Million Acre Challenge are organizing a special training, certification and feedback session that will focus on small to mid-scale diversified operations. In addition to the traditional certification in nutrient management plan-writing, and opportunity to write your own plan, we will use this session to gather feedback from participants on how to make the process more streamlined and efficient for farmers, and hopefully begin to make the nutrient management plan itself a more useful tool for maintaining crop and soil health. Following the 3-part FTC+Feedback session, participants will be invited to an online work session with Ellen Polishuk, an expert and consultant in sustainable vegetable production, to answer questions and offer suggestions for how to meet the fertility needs of crops given any limitations caused by environmental concerns.The Farmer Training and Certification workshops provide opportunities for producers to learn how to write nutrient management plans for their operation that meet Maryland Department of Agriculture’s regulations. Additionally, there are several opportunities on the horizon that will require an up-to-date nutrient management plan-- including cost-share, grant and certified local programs.Individuals with fields or pastures high in soil test phosphorus may require additional training and a greater time commitment.<ul><li>February, 15, 17 and 24, 2022 (snow date 2/22)*</li><li>Three days, each from 9:30 am-4:30pm</li><li>Online work session w/ Ellen Polishuk, date TBD (early March)</li><li>Registration deadline: January 27, 2022	</li><li>Cancelation &amp; Refund deadline: January 27, 2022</li></ul>Benefits<ul><li>Attend all three sessions and walk away with a ready-to-go nutrient management plan!</li><li>Position your farm to be eligible for upcoming cost-share and grant opportunities</li><li>Improve your farm's fertility regime</li><li>Be confident your farm is not contributing pollution to the Bay</li><li>Learn a skill so you can update your own nutrient management plans in the future OR communicate more effectively with your nutrient management plan writer</li><li>Access to a small-group online consultation session with Ellen Polishuk, a diversified vegetable crop and soil health specialist!</li></ul>Required Skills:Competency in high school math, familiarity with using a keyboard, and the ability to save and retrieve files is essential for completion of the course and nutrient management plan development.You will receive:<ul><li>A comprehensive training binder – the training binder will be used during the class, serve as a reference during the exam, and as a valuable resource when you write future plans for your operation.</li><li>Certification – producers who pass the exam will be certified by MDA to write their own</li><li>nutrient management plans.</li><li>Voucher training credits – this class will fulfill the nutrient applicator voucher training</li><li>Requirements.</li><li>Subsidized training and certification- in exchange for your willingness to provide valuable feedback!</li></ul>*A minimum of 5 farms need to participate in order to offer this special training and feedback session.Cost:<ul><li>Fee for class materials, lunch and/or snacks $20*</li><li>Certification exam $20*</li><li>NuMan Pro software $25- optional</li></ul>*Note: Fees for class materials and exam fees will be reimbursed to participants upon completion of the 3-day program.The Million Acre Challenge will provide lunch and/or snacks for each day of the meeting.