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Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Division |
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Environmental Programs |
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West Virginia Department of Agriculture |
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This page last modified on September 19, 2006 |
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Nutrient Testing
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) PL534 land treatment program continues to generate litter/manure samples for analysis by the Environmental Programs Section’s Nutrient Management Laboratory. This is an incentive program for the farming community to install Best Management Practices (BMPs). The focus of the program allows for improvements that protect the long-term productivity of farm resources and at the same time preserve water quality. This federal program requires soil testing and manure/litter analysis for land application. Participants must submit samples for analysis for the first three years of the contract. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) cooperates with the West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and West Virginia Conservation Agency in providing litter/manure analysis for its PL534 participants. Testing parameters for samples include Ammonia, Phosphorus, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Potassium, and percent moisture. These results are used by certified individuals to write Nutrient Management Plans (NMP) for program participants. Pilgrim’s Pride, Cargill and Perdue require nutrient management plans for all of their poultry growers. The Moorefield Nutrient Management Laboratory results are instrumental in most nutrient management plans written in West Virginia.
The Nutrient Management Laboratory also plays an active role in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Management Assistance Program. This program provides payment for transportation of litter out of the Chesapeake Bay drainage area. Participants are required to obtain a current litter analysis from the supplier in order for a nutrient management plan to be developed. The purpose of the program is to remove nutrients from the waters draining into the Bay and to promote extended grazing practices for the recipients of the excess litter.
This program is certified through MAP (Manure Analysis Proficiency) through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. |
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