New PA Nutrient Management Regulations to Improve Water Quality 

Phosphorus in manure will be regulated for the first time, along with nitrogen, under new final regulations adopted by the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commissions.

Nearly 1,000 farms are subject to the regulations, with an additional 1,400 farms voluntarily complying with the requirements, which include developing a nutrient management plan with specialists certified by the Department of Agriculture. The new regulations are a balance between properly applying manure generated on high-density animal operations – those with more than 2,000 pounds of animals per acre – without overly restricting the movement of nutrients throughout the state, according to the Department of Agriculture. The regulations include not only phosphorus management, but also exporting manure from farms, manure setbacks from water sources, seasonal application, manure stacking, soil testing and financial assistance. A standard management plan format was designed to ensure consistency in reporting, and a method of documenting manure exported off the farm was also developed. http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu/