Nutrient Management Initiative
Nutrient Management
Minnesota NRCS

Last Updated 09/29/2009

The Nutrient Management Initiative (NMI) program is available to farmers in southern Minnesota.   The NMI program provides a framework for farmers to evaluate their own nutrient management practices compared with nutrient rate guidance promoted by the USDA-NRCS. 

Farmers receive $1200 for providing data and completing the program requirements.  Participants are required to work with a certified crop adviser.  The certified crop adviser assists with site design, and validates cropping information, and yield results.  The farmer’s normal application rate and a rate promoted by the USDA-NRCS are each replicated three times allowing for comparisons of crop yield and economic outcomes.    Results from the program are presented to the farmer in an economic analysis report based on their actual nutrient costs and crop yields.

 Participant’s identity is kept confidential.  Cropping information, yield results, and economic analysis is for educational purposes only. By evaluating data from multiple growers under varying weather conditions, the impact of these demonstrations becomes more valuable and therefore more effective. Farmers working with certified crop advisers will provide valuable data over a large geographical area to evaluate current NRCS nutrient guidance.

 Funding for the program is through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and administered by the Minnesota USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture assists through promotion, data collection, and compilation of data for the program.

 Eligible Counties 

The Nutrient Management Initiative program is available in 49 Minnesota counties in 2009.  The counties are located in the southern half of Minnesota in MN USDA-NRCS areas: 4, 5, 6, & 7.  Additionally cropland located within a designated vulnerable Source Water Protection Area in other areas of Minnesota will be considered. 

Farmers enroll in the program through their county USDA-NRCS Office by requesting an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract and completing a Producer Agreement. The Producer Agreement includes an Anticipated Nutrient Application form that is reviewed to insure the site is established properly. 
 

 These documents require Microsoft Word or Acrobat Reader 

• 2010 Producer Agreement (Form; MS Word 212 KB)
   Fom signed by producer and attached to EQIP contract prior to initiation of field operations.

• 2009 Nutrient Management Initiative (Brochure; pdf 295 KB)

Demonstration site protocols and additional information is available at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website:  

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