CAFOs have additional restrictions on manure applications from NR 243 Animal Feeding Operation rules. Applications that do not meet these restrictions will cause the cells showing that application’s nutrients on the Cropping screen to turn orange and will generate a restriction message in the Nutrient Application Planner. CAFO manure application restriction problem messages explained:

•CAFOs are prohibited from applying manure when groundwater is within 24 inches of the surface.

NR243: Manure cannot be applied when groundwater is within 24 inches of the soil surface.

How SnapPlus identifies this problem: This message is generated whenever there is a manure application on a field with a 590 N Restricted soil with the “w” designation, meaning there is less than 12 inches to the apparent water table. If it is demonstrated that groundwater is likely to be greater than 24 inches from the surface at the time of application following as per DNR guidance (see http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/AgBusiness/documents/DNR-WSoilsInterimGuidanceMarch2009.pdf), then the planner can write this in the area for explaining non-compliant applications.

•CAFOs are prohibited from applying manure when bedrock is within 24 inches of the surface.

NR243: Manure cannot be applied to fields with bedrock within 24 inches of the surface.

How SnapPlus identifies this problem: This message is generated whenever there is a manure application on a field with a 590 N Restricted soil with the “r” designation, meaning there is less than 20 inches depth to bedrock.

•Manure or process wastewater cannot be applied to fields with soil test P greater than 200 ppm without DNR approval on CAFOs.

NR243: For fields with soil test phosphorus levels of 200 ppm and greater, applications of phosphorus from manure and process wastewater are prohibited unless the permittee receives department approval. The department may only approve the application if it meets all of the requirements outlined in NR 243.14 (5) (b) 2.

How SnapPlus identifies this problem: This message is generated whenever a manure application is made on a field with soil test P greater than 200 ppm.

There are a series of messages that may appear in the Nutrient Application Planner if manure is applied to a field with soil test P between 100 and 200 ppm:

•Soil test P is between 100 to 200 ppm and manure is applied, so this CAFO field must meet the P Index standard and a P2O5 Balance target that demonstrates soil test P drawdown over a rotation of 4 years or less. Reset CAFO P Rotation Settings to include the year of this manure application so that the P Index and P2O5 Balance can be checked for a correct time period.

•Soil test P is between 100 ppm and 200 ppm and manure is applied, so this CAFO field must have a P Index value of 6 or less and a P2O5 balance of xxx lb/acre or less. Calculate all years to see if this field meets the P Index standard.

•Soil test P is between 100 ppm and 200 ppm and manure cannot be applied to this CAFO field because it does not have a P2O5 balance of xxx lb/acre or less and/or it has a P Index value greater than 6.

NR243: For fields with soil test phosphorus levels between 100 ppm and 200 ppm, the permittee shall calculate the planned average phosphorus index value for the crop rotation or for the next 4-year period, whichever is less. If the calculated average phosphorus index value is greater than 6, manure and process wastewater applications to that field are prohibited. If the calculated phosphorus index value is 6 or less, applications are allowed provided that the cumulative application of phosphorus from manure and process wastewater does not exceed 50% of the cumulative annual crop phosphorus removal over the rotation or the next 4-year period, whichever is less.

How SnapPlus identifies this problem: If manure is applied on a CAFO field with soil test P from 101 ppm up to 200 ppm, the program will use the designated CAFO P Rotation of no more than 4 years for determining the Avg P Index and the P2O5 balance. The P2O5 balance message displayed under the CAFO P Rotation Settings will represent applications at 50% of crop removal, rather than the 75% of crop removal level used for meeting 590 guidelines for fields with soil test P greater than 100 ppm. A message will be generated if the CAFO P Rotation Avg P Index is greater than 6 or if the P2O5 balance is greater than the displayed target level.

•CAFO farms are not allowed to apply manure within 100 feet of a drinking water well.

NR243: Manure or process wastewater may not be applied within 100 feet of a private well or non-community system as defined in ch. NR 812 or within 1000 feet of a community well as defined in ch. NR 811.

How SnapPlus identifies this problem: This message appears whenever manure is applied to a field identified in the Field Restriction Features dialog box as having a drinking water well within 100 feet of the field edge.

•NR 243 prohibits surface applying liquid or solid manure on a CAFO between Feb 1 to Mar 31 when there is more than 1 in. of snow or if the ground is frozen.

NR243: February 1 through March 31 is designated as a high runoff risk period in NR243., when solid manure cannot be applied if the ground is frozen or if there is more than one inch of snow present. Liquid manure cannot be applied during this time without a DNR approved emergency plan.

How SnapPlus identifies this problem: This message is generated whenever any manure application is planned for the winter as a reminder that winter applications should be made when there is not a high risk of runoff.

•Liquid manure (less than 12% solids) cannot be applied in the winter on a CAFO.

NR243: Surface application of liquid manure on frozen ground is prohibited, except for an emergency situation. Conditions under which liquid manure can be applied to frozen or snow covered ground are described in NR243.14 (7).

A number of messages may be generated if a solid manure application is planned in the winter:

•Manure cannot be applied at rates greater than 60 lb P2O5/acre in the winter on a CAFO.

•Solid manure cannot be applied in the winter on slopes greater than 9% on a CAFO.

•Solid Manure cannot be applied in the winter on a CAFO unless the field has been tilled in the fall or is in long-term no-till.

•Solid Manure cannot be applied in the winter on slopes greater than 2% on a CAFO unless the field has been tilled in the fall on the general contour or is in long-term no-till.

•Solid Manure cannot be applied in the winter on slopes greater than 6% on a CAFO unless the field has been tilled in the fall on the contour or is in long-term no-till.

•Solid manure cannot be applied to slopes greater than 2% in the winter on a CAFO unless the field is worked on the general contour.

•Solid manure cannot be applied to slopes greater than 6% in the winter on a CAFO unless the field is worked on the contour.

•Manure with a solids content less than 20% cannot be applied in the winter on slopes greater than 6% on a CAFO.

 

NR243: Solid manure may be surface applied on frozen or ground covered with more than an inch of snow if the provisions of Table 4 (shown below) are followed.

How SnapPlus identifies problems: For the required fall tillage practices, SnapPlus is checking whether or not the tillage is Fall Chisel, disk; Fall Chisel, no disk; Fall MB Plow; or No-till. For slopes greater than 2%, it is also checking whether or not the On contour button is checked. SnapPlus uses the Dry matter % in the manure displayed on the Nutrient Sources screen to determine the solids content of the manures. Applications will be flagged if the P2O5 applied in the winter exceeds 60 lb per acre or the requirement of the following crop, whichever is lower. SnapPlus will give a message if manure is applied in the SWQMA, but the software cannot identify fields that are within 2.0 times the SWQMA or the required setbacks from channelized flow, vegetated buffers, wetlands and conduits to groundwater.