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Home » Soil And Water » Planner Resources

Nutrient Management Planner Resources

This section is here to help certified agriculture and urban planners find references, documents, tables and other information useful in developing plans. The link to download NutMan 3.0 software is below. Additionally information on; verification, biosecurity, plan review, and much more are also linked below.


DCR Staff Contacts

Hunter Landis - email: hunter.landis@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-929-6334
Nutrient Management Program Manager.
Question Topics: All inquiries relating to nutrient management not listed below.

Stephanie Dawley – email: stephanie.dawley@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-382-3911
Nutrient Management Training and Certification Coordinator.
Question topics: All inquiries about agriculture nutrient management plan development and review, agriculture trainings, review sessions and the agriculture exam.

Seth Mullins – email: seth.mullins@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-517-0726
Question Topics: Plan writing and approval for permitted and non-permitted animal operations, general crop plans, manure sampling and testing, sending manure samples to Clemson lab.

Nick Moody – email: nicholas.moody@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-305-6026
Question topics: Plans for land application of biosolids, general crop plan writing questions

Jay Marshall – email: jay.marshall@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 540-219-0794
Question topics: Support for questions using NutMan 3.0, writing plans for poultry operations and poultry litter operation transfer plans.

Susan Jones – email: susan.jones@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-824-1573
Question topics: Steps to becoming a certified nutrient management planner, applications for nutrient management certification exam, registration for nutrient management training schools (Ag and Turf & Landscape), completing and submitting activity reports, and tracking continuing education credits.

Pamela Capps – email: vanmplnr@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-586-0471
Question topics: Steps to participate in the Direct Pay program, all correspondence for Direct Pay through the email address: vanmplnr@dcr.virginia.gov, submission of consent forms for quotes, and payments for plan writing and verification of plans.

Gonzalo Ortiz – email: gonzalo.ortiz@dcr.virginia.gov; cell: 804-217-2010
Question topics: All inquiries about urban lands nutrient management plans, golf course plans, state lands nutrient management plan development and review, Turf & Landscape trainings, review sessions and the T&L exam.

The Certified Crop Advisor program is not associated with the Virginia Nutrient Management Program; however, many Virginia planners are also Certified Crop Advisors. This contact at the Madison, Wisconsin home office is listed for your convenience.

Penny Magana, Certification Representative American Society of Agronomy, Office 866-359-9161, pmagana@sciencessocieties.org

 

For All Planners

Presentations from DCR Continuing Education meetings

  • Bowman. Biosecurity for Livestock and Poultry Operations
  • Thomason. Cover Crops: Species, Establishment and Benefits
  • Teutsch. Forage Research

Useful links

  • Planner Directory
  • Training and Certification Regulations

Approved Soil Testing Laboratories

Section 4VAC50-85-140.A.2.f of the Nutrient Management Training and Certification Regulations states, "Representative soil analysis results for fields shall be determined by using standard soil sampling and analysis methods according to Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3, Chemical Methods, 1996 utilizing the Mehlich I extraction procedure for phosphorus or other methods and laboratories approved by the department and correlated to Mehlich I and utilizing correlation procedures contained in Virginia Nutrient Management Standards and Criteria, revised June 2014."

DCR maintains this list of labs that meet regulatory requirements. The list is provided for users' convenience; presence on the list does not imply endorsement by DCR. Planners using other labs may have labs added to this list by contacting DCR's nutrient management staff, who will evaluate the lab for approval.

Nutrient Management Plan Writing App

The Nutrient Management Planning portion of the Conservation Application Suite is available for VA Certified Nutrient Management Planners to use. This Steps for Module Access outlines the steps needed to be taken to gain access to the Module. Below are pdfs and videos to help in using the new plan writing platform.

  • NM Module Guidance for Creating New, Revised, Modified, and /Amended Plans - Feb. 2025
  • Shapefile Import Tutorial
  • Soil Test Import Tutorial

Nutrient Management Plan Writing App Training Videos

Create a New Plan
Create a New Plan
Creating Map templates and Imagery Options
Creating Map Templates and Imagery Options
Introdution to Mapping
Introduction to Mapping
Feaures in Mapping
Features in Mapping
Details Tab
Details Tab

Agriculture-Specific Information

Verification Forms

Virginia Nutrient Management Verification form
Virginia Enhanced Nutrient Management BMPs form

Biosecurity Procedures for Farm Visits to Animal Operations

This document describes how to ensure a safe and hygienic visit to farms with animal operations in order to prevent the spread of infectious material and agents.

NutMan 3.0 Software

Download the NutMan 3.0 installation files, released on Jan. 8, 2013. It has "Special Conditions" documents for VPA and VPDES-permitted animal operations.

The installation file has been compressed. Click on the link above and save the file locally to install the program.

The download needs to be run as Administrator or you will receive a “Start Up Error” on most current computers. To avoid this, find the nutman.exe file, right click it and select Run as Administrator.

Getting Started Writing Plans

If you are new to writing plans, only occasionally write plans or have struggled with initial farm visits to gather the information needed to write a plan, the DCR is here to help. The Nutrient Management Plan Writing Information Collection is a document that walks you the planner through the information to collect during farm visits. It covers both animal, cropping, and testing information that you will need to write a thorough nutrient management plan.

A fillable version of the Plan Information Collection can be downloaded here.

When a plan is completed knowing what to include for the farmer from the reports generated can be overwhelming. There are over a dozen reports that can be generated from the Online Nutrient Management Planning App. The Components of Plan Writing is a guide to what reports are useful for farmers and which are office resources.

New Manure Sample Forms

DCR will pay for the processing of two manure samples per client. Those needing more than two tests should contact the Clemson University lab to arrange for payment of the additional samples. Samples must be sent to the Agricultural Service Laboratory at Clemson. Visit the lab's website, where you'll find useful information about the collection and handling of manure samples, as well as the fillable form you'll need to fill out for the DCR-paid samples. Be sure to completely fill in the form.

Special Conditions for Nutrient Management Plans

  • Special Conditions for Dairy and Beef Operations Not Requiring a VPA or VPDES Permit
  • Special Conditions for Dairy and Beef Operations Requiring a VPA or VPDES Permit
  • Special Conditions for Biosolid Applications
  • Special Conditions for Poultry Operations East of I-95 Requiring a VPA or VPDES Permit
  • Special Conditions for Poultry Operations West of I-95 Requiring a VPA or VPDES Permit
  • Special Conditions for Poultry Operations Transferring Litter Requiring a VPA or VPDES Permit
  • Special Conditions for Swine Operations Requiring a VPA or VPDES Permit
  • Special Conditions for Poultry Litter End Users

Plan-writing Guidance Documents

The documents listed below were developed to address specific issues identified by planners to address those issues consistently.

  • Guidance for Crop Nutrient Recommendations for Hay and Pasture Fields
  • Guidance for Manure Storage Facilities for Nutrient Management Plans Developed for a VPA Permit
  • Guidance for Voluntary Nutrient Management Plans Developed for Non-permitted Dairy Operations Having Insufficient Manure Storage

Turf and Landscape-Specific Information

Verification Form

Turf and Landscape Nutrient Management Plan Verification form - online

Download the Turf and Landscape Nutrient Management Plan Verification form.

Resources

Presentations from DCR Continuing Education meetings

  • Regulation and Standards and Criteria Changes
  • Defining Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers Sources
  • Slow Release Nitrogen Label Exercises
  • Back to Basics Planning and Future UNM
  • Nutrient Management Verification

Handouts from DCR Continuing Education meetings, Standards and Criteria July 2014, July 11-17, 2014

  • Quick Reference Guide to Changes
  • Plan Approval Checklist
  • Example Golf Course Nutrient Management Plan
  • Example Home Lawn Nutrient Management Plan

Turf and Landscape Plan-writing Spreadsheets

These spreadsheets can help those writing nutrient management plans for turf and landscaped areas. The sheets are “templates.” As a certified planner, you are responsible for ensuring that the information is accurate and complies with the Virginia nutrient management training and certification regulations. When you open the spreadsheet, you'll see tabs at the bottom of the screen. Here are explanations for the tabs.

Cover Sheet – Fill in this sheet first. Information from it will automatically fill in fields on other sheets, including the Cover Page.

Narrative – This is a blank page into which you write the narrative for the particular client. See Urban Nutrient Management Handbook page 13-5.

Maps – This is a blank sheet in which maps can be inserted into the plan.

Worksheet – This contains detailed recommendations for each management area developed. See Urban Nutrient Management Handbook page 13-7.

Soil Test Summary – If you use an approved lab other than Virginia Tech, fill in that lab's result and convert that value to a Virginia Tech Fertility Rating, found in the Nutrient Management Standards and Criteria, page 39. Lab conversion information found in S&C pages 41-42.

Reference Materials and Notes – This sheet is where you may provide additional guidance to clients on the specific needs of certain management areas. You can also include on this sheet, Extension publications that further support the implementation of the nutrient management recommendations.

Record-Keeping – This sheet is for the client’s benefit. If the plan is written for “State-Owned Lands,” it must be completed to verify the implementation of that plan.

Golf course spreadsheet
General turf area spreadsheet

Hydrologic Unit Map Website

Click here to get hydrologic unit codes. The interface allows users to search for and download data for their particular area - it is no longer necessary for users to download an entire county map.

Nutrient Management Planner Newsletters

All Nutrient Management Newsletters

  • Spring 2025
  • Summer 2024
  • Spring 2024

Direct Pay Planner Newsletters

  • Spring 2025
  • Fall 2023
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