As the poultry industry grows in NC, so does the requirements for maintaining healthy soil.
The poultry industry is growing again in North Carolina and producers are needing nutrient management plans completed. These are also commonly referred to as waste plans or litter plans. For producers in need of a plan, here is the information I will need to complete the cover sheet of your plan: name of farm, land owner’s name, mailing address, county, phone number, type of poultry, integrator name, and one-time placement number of birds.
If you are using a third-party applicator to remove your litter, there is a form both the farm owner and the third-party applicator will need to agree upon, sign and date. If you are applying the waste yourself, please bring the maps provided by the county Farm Service Agency office of where you plan to apply the litter. These maps need to show field location, crop acreage, and be labeled to identify crops and spreading rates for each field. Nitrogen requirements will also be needed from the North Carolina Nutrient Management Program, where Realistic Yield Expectation (RYE) data is found online. I will determine the dominant soil type of each field and be able to complete the plan with this information.
Soil samples are currently required every three years from all fields that receive litter and must be processed by an approved lab, but you are welcome to test more often than this. You can have your samples processed in Raleigh at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services agronomic division laboratory. These records must be kept for three years, or if you are participating in a funding program with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) you must keep your records for five years. There are fees associated with soil testing during peak seasons for the laboratory, so be sure to check the rates before sending your samples.
Waste analyses are required within 60 days before or after a litter application (120-day window) and must also be kept three years, or five years if participating in funding from NRCS. The maximum spread rate and nitrogen balance can be determined by using the PAN (Plant Available Nitrogen) numbers. Both the soil test results and the waste analysis results are now only available online unless you request a hard copy.
The last part of the plan includes the spreading records forms (Dry 1, 2, and 3). These forms can be found at your local Cooperative Extension office, or you can request an electronic copy. There is also an Excel computer spreadsheet version that will do calculations automatically to ensure no calculation errors. You will need the following information to complete these forms: date and amount of litter removed, date and location of spreading, fields and amount spread, as well as the nitrogen balance. Make sure you keep these forms updated on a regular basis and that everyone who applies the litter is filling out the correct forms.
What does your waste plan do for you and your farm? It gives you the necessary information to properly apply litter at agronomic rates on your fields. This way you are sure you are not over applying nutrients and the plants are able to completely use the litter as fertilizer. Making sure your waste plan is complete and accurate is the first step in making sure you are properly spreading litter from your poultry operation. Also, be sure to update your waste plan if you want to make changes to how you apply your litter, what fields are included in the plan, or if you want to change your third-party applicator.
If you need a poultry waste plan completed, you can contact Margaret Ross at Margaret_Ross@ncsu.edu or by phone at 252.670.8254.