1. WASTE UTILIZATION PLANS
1.1 Parts of a Waste Utilization Plan (except for dry poultry litter - see 5.3

A waste utilization plan (WUP) is one part of a total waste management plan. The WUP should be reported in a format comparable to the current NRCS format prior to certification (see Field Office Tech. Guide IV, Standard 633 - Waste Utilization). As a minimum the plan will include:

• List of all fields receiving waste by tract number, field number, and acres receiving waste. For irrigated sprayfields, show wettable or effective acres as appropriate (see NCCES Publications Irrigated Acreage Determination Procedures for Wastewater Application Equipment for Stationary Sprinkler (AG-553-6) or Hard Hose Traveler (AG-553-7))
• Maps of all fields to be used for waste application
• Amount of manure produced and used annually (see NRCS Practice Standard Code 633 - Waste Application)· Waste application method
• All crops to be grown by field
• Realistic yield expectations (RYE) for intended crops when available and/or applicable (see NRCS Practice Standard Code 590 - Nutrient Management). For current RYE tables see weblinks page http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/nmp/
• Dominant soil series for each waste application field (see county soil survey)
• N application rate by field; based on RYE, or actual yields or NCDA or CES recommendation if RYE data is not available
• N balance which equals N applied minus RYE N rate in lbs/acre (N balance must be zero or deficit)
• Waste application windows (see NRCS Practice Standard Code 590 - Nutrient Management (Criteria item # 13) and Appendix 1.1 A, 1.21A & 1.21B
• Irrigation parameters where irrigation is used (see NRCS Practice Standard Code 633, D1, D2, & D3)
• Calibration information (see NC Publication Field Calibration Procedures for Stationary AG-553-1, Traveler AG-553-2, and Center Pivots & Linear AG-553-3, Solid and Semi-Solids Spreaders - Weight Area Method AG-553-4, and Solid and Semi-Solids Spreaders - Load Area Method AG-553-5 )
• Required specification from NRCS Waste Utilization Standard Code 633
• Emergency action plan (Appendix 1.1B)
• Odor checklist (Appendix 1.1C (dairy), 1.1D (swine), or 1.1E (poultry) depending on animal type)
• Insect checklist (Appendix 1.1F)
• Mortality checklist (Appendix 1.1G)
• Waste sampling within 60 days of land application
• Annual soil sampling:
  1. lime requirement,
  2. measurement of copper accumulation,
  3. measurement of zinc accumulation

Multiple cropping options are permissible and encouraged within a WUP. For each option listed, the waste management system shall adequately store waste for the periods between each of the receiving crops' waste application window while maintaining the required freeboard in the lagoon/storage pond.

1.2 WUP Format

All waste utilization plans must contain a table documenting tract name(s) or number(s), field number(s) and/or pull etc., soil type(s), crop(s), application months, residual legume N utilized per acre based on RYE, total N utilized in field, and useable/wettable acres in field. All crops receiving waste must be in the table including interseeded and cover crops. All crops in the rotation receiving waste must be included in the table by field. All fields receiving waste, including those not needed to utilize N generated by the animal operation must be included. Future plans for sludge application will use the above format.

Narrative in the WUP must explain or clarify information contained in the above table. The narrative must provide additional information needed by the operator and/or inspector to understand N and water balance for the documented cropping system(s) and the animal operation. Exceptions to specific requirements in the WUP must be included.

This guidance pertains to all new or revised WUP's whether on new, expanding, or existing operations.

Nutrient Management Software developed jointly by NCDA & CS, CES, NRCS, and DSWC is now available for preparing WUP's. Contact your local CES office or Vernon Cox at (919) 715-6109 with DSWC for information.

1.3 Validity of WUP approved before February 1, 1993

Approved WUP that met NRCS standards prior to February 1, 1993 meet the operation and maintenance requirements of rule 2H .0217 only if the design specifications in the original plan approved by NRCS (formerly the Soil Conservation Service (SCS)) are being followed. This includes maintaining the original steady state live animal weight.

If the WUP is not consistent with the original NRCS approved specifications, a new WUP shall be developed to comply with 2H .0217 standards. Farms that have expanded without an approved WUP plan must meet the most current specifications for operation and maintenance for the entire volume of waste produced before they can be certified.

Plans that were approved prior to February 1, 1993, that are not yet certified must meet the most current WUP format when certified.

1.4 Waste Utilization Plan Revisions

A WUP revision is a change to an entire plan to meet current applicable standards. A WUP must be revised if the operation cannot utilize all N nitrogen generated by the animal production in accordance with the existing WUP, except for the specific conditions noted in the WUP amendment section (See 1.5). For an existing WUP, a change in crops and/or cropping pattern that utilizes more than 25% of the N generated by the operation is considered a plan revision. Any change to an existing WUP, whether an amendment or revision, must be signed and dated by both the producer and a technical specialist for the new WUP to be valid.

A revision of the WUP only does not require recertification. Recertification is only required for major changes to the CAWMP. Major changes include changes in the number of animals, type of operation (feeder to finish to wean to feeder), retrofit of a lagoon, installation of a new irrigation system, and similar type changes.

For systems that have been issued an individual permit or Certificate of Coverage (COC) under a General Permit for Animal Waste, major changes to a facility must first be approved by DWQ. The new CAWMP and the certification shall be submitted with a request that the permit or COC be amended to reflect the changes. The facility may not make the changes until a new or amended permit or COC has been issued.

If changes are made to an existing WUP, the most recent version of a CAWMP (including the WUP) shall be kept on file at the local SWCD and on the farm.

1.5 WUP Amendments

A WUP amendment is a change and/or addition to a part(s) of the plan, and requires that the change and/or addition adhere to current applicable standards

• In an existing WUP, a change in crops and/or cropping pattern that utilizes 25% or less of the N generated is considered a plan amendment. Additional acreage needed to facilitate the change in crops and/or cropping pattern is permissible and considered part of the amendment.
• The addition of winter crops and/or interseeded perennial crops are considered amendments to an existing WUP when the operation does not require additional acreage and/or crops for N utilization, and does not exceed the 25% criteria stated above.
• When a WUP cannot meet N utilization requirements due to land lost to irrigation inefficiency (useable versus total acres), then the WUP may be amended to increase available acreage and/or change the crop for N utilization. This is the only exception to the 25% N criteria for plan revision.
• Inclusions of emergency action plans, and insect, odor and mortality checklists are considered WUP amendments.
• Including additional acreage for land application beyond what is required in the existing WUP is considered a plan amendment.
• Pen and ink changes maybe made under the following conditions:
  1. Changes to the plan fall within the definition of a plan amendment (see above).
  2. The changes are initialed by the owner and the technical specialist and dated.
  3. The changes are made in the appropriate places in the plan (see Section 1.2).
  4. The nitrogen balance must be brought forward to reflect the change, if applicable.
  5. The changes must be legible and understandable to the technical specialist, the farm's owner / operator and or DWQ / Division of Soil and Water Conservation personnel.
  6. An updated copy must be maintained in the Soil and Water Conservation District office and at the farm.

1.6 WUP Conditional Amendment

The producer may secure a conditional one year amendment (either in the NRCS table format or as a one-page narrative) attached to the certified plan which outlines the temporary measures. The conditional amendment must be signed by a technical specialist, kept at the farm, filed with the local SWCD, and include the following:

• If temporary crop(s) are needed to replace specified crops, include intended crop(s), related soil type(s), RYE(s) based on current standard, useable acres, N utilized, month of application, application rate, tract number, field number, and location;
• Revised N balance for conditional time period;
• Third party lease or receiver agreements when applicable;
• onfirmation statement that irrigation equipment is available and capable to apply waste to temporary crop(s)
• Beginning and ending dates when conditional amendment is applicable not to exceed 12 months.

Note: DWQ retains the right to address any plan violations that initially led to the cropping change and conditional one-year amendment.

For example, a producer needs to make a temporary change in cropping pattern from that specified in the CAWMP. Acceptable reasons may include making improvements to the spray fields (land leveling, upgrading drainage, etc.), unexpected crop failure and inability to replant within specified planting window due to weather and/or soil conditions, or establishing a crop like coastal bermuda without small grain overseeding during the first year as specified in the plan. Since all receiving crops shall be specified in the plan, the plan shall be amended for this temporary situation.

1.7 WUP changes required by DWQ

DWQ will not routinely require changes to a WUP after it is approved by a technical specialist. Plans shall be sent to the local SWCD to evaluate the soundness of the plans. The local SWCD is responsible for notifying DWQ of deficient plans. If there is a discharge from structures or land application sites, standards and specifications are not being followed, or a plan is found to be deficient, DWQ may require a change to prevent the problem from reoccurring. Current NRCS standards and specifications shall be met when the plans are changed as part of an enforcement action.

1.8 Addition of Fields to WUP

When a field is added to the WUP resulting in a land application system change or addition, the field shall meet current State and NRCS standards, setbacks and buffers. All new irrigation systems or additions to existing systems installed on fields not previously included in the WUP must be certified and must meet current State and NRCS standards, buffers and setbacks.

1.9 Multiple WUPs

Even if several dated and signed WUP exist for a facility, the producer shall implement the newest revised WUP signed by a technical specialist and on file with the local SWCD and at the farm.

1.10 Land Approved for the Application of Manure

A facility shall not spray animal waste on land not approved as part of their CAWMP. Although a facility may wish to use additional land, manure shall not be applied on owned or unowned land unless that land has been evaluated and approved as part of the CAWMP.

If a facility has more land than is needed for manure application, the owner is strongly encouraged to have all land evaluated and approved as part of the CAWMP. The additional land may be needed due to system failure or extremely wet weather. If more land is available than contained in the CAWMP, only the amount needed for the application of the waste shall be in the specified crop rotation at any time.

1.11 Wetland Waste Application

Wetlands are considered as waters of the state, therefore, waste application in wetlands is not permitted.

1.12 Grassed Waterway Waste Application

Current NRCS waste utilization standards allows application of animal waste on grassed waterways at agronomic rates and at application rates that do not cause runoff or drift from the site.

1.13 Verification of Erosion Rates

The technical specialist who signs the WUP portion of the certification form shall determine if erosion rates are acceptable (see Standard 633) on all fields where waste is applied. If erosion rates exceed the acceptable level, then the WUP cannot be certified until the farmer has installed necessary erosion control measures before the waste can be applied.

1.14 Subsurface Drainage

Animal waste may be applied to fields with subsurface drainage, provided the quantity of wastewater applied at a given time does not exceed soil water holding capacity in the effective root zone. Owners should be informed of their liability for water quality violations that result from discharge from subsurface drains.

1.15 Crops Grown Other Than Those Specified in the Plan

A permit and/or plan violation occurs if a producer does not have correct crops established (i.e. coastal bermuda) as stipulated in his WUP. The producer shall either establish the correct crops or revise his WUP. In the case of coastal bermuda, if the planting date is passed, the producer may plant other crops until next year's planting date. The conditional amendment shall be included in the CAWMP on file at the local SWCD and at the farm. In any case, the producer shall follow a plan that provides for a N balance between waste application and crop utilization.

1.16 Nitrogen loading rates that exceed published RYEs

A certified WUP may contain loading rates higher than RYE; however, the producer shall justify higher N application rates through yield records.

Documenting Actual Yields for Forage Crops
Accurate yields for use in a WUP need to be based on data from the wetted acres of an application site. Data shall be collected for each harvest and added for an annual total. Count the number of bales and obtain weights on 10% of all bales with a minimum of 5 bale weights for each harvest date. These weighed bales are to be sampled individually by drilling a 30-inch hay probe in three locations on the side (not end) of each bale. Each composited forage sample per bale will be dried and used to calculate dry matter production. Dry matter of forages can be determined using a household microwave (North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS) Bulletin 305, Appendix C, pp.142-143) or by submitting the samples to the NCDA&CS forage testing lab. Once percent dry matter is obtained for each bale, multiply the wet weight by the percent dry matter. This is the dry matter yield for the single harvest. These values will be added to calculate the annual dry matter production, which can be compared to the realistic yield exception database value.

Forage Moisture Testing Using a Microwave
Procedure: Place 100 grams of forage on a plate. Put a paper towel between the forage sample and a plate to minimize "sweat" from forming on the plate. Put a 10-16 ounce covered glass of water in the corner of the oven to capture unabsorbed microwaves as the plant tissue dries. Set oven to HIGH for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes weigh sample & plate and record weight of sample. Change the water and insert sample into oven for 2 more minutes. Weigh and record sample weight. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until sample weight doesn't change more than one gram (this means sample is dry).

% Moisture = 100 gram - dry weight gram.
% Dry matter = the last dry weight of sample (assuming 100 grams starting wet).

With experience you can adjust the time periods and decide whether or not it is necessary to use the glass of water. Usually, the above method will give moisture content that is about 2% more than true sample moisture content. For hay, this procedure takes 10-20 minutes depending upon initial moisture content of sample. Silage samples take 15-25 minutes because of coarser particle sizes and grain content, which dry slower. Practice this procedure several times before the day you really need it because it takes some practice to get the procedure "fine tuned".

1.17 Use of Soil Sample Report's N Recommendations

For operations above the 2H. 0217 threshold requirements, is it not permissible to develop a WUP based on the N recommendation for the receiving crop in the soil analysis report. This guidance is not applicable to dry poultry litter (Appendix 5.3 part 1 & part 2).

1.18 Documentation of Commercial Fertilizer on Land Application Sites

DWQ requires that all N sources including commercial fertilizers, sludges, and dry litter shall be documented in the records for all fields receiving animal waste.

1.19 Soil Testing For Copper and Zinc

SB 1217 requires annual soil analysis for copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) on fields that receive manure, and requires that alternative crop sites be used when these metal levels approach excess levels. When soil Cu or Zn levels reach values in the following table the producer shall contact a qualified specialist to discuss options for future manure applications.

1.20 Role of Plant Tissue Analysis in Justifying Additional Waste Applications

Plant tissue analysis can be used to justify additional waste applications, when crop nutrient deficiencies are suspected. When utilized correctly, tissue testing provides useful information about crop nutrient status and is an accepted tool for proper waste management. To justify additional N, the producer shall work with a NCDA&CS regional agronomist (other qualified professionals may be identified later). The regional agronomist will collect a plant tissue sample for nutrient analysis, evaluate the crop maturity, and determine the N requirement relative to growth stage. Following interpretation of the plant tissue analysis, the regional agronomist can make recommendations for further applications of N. The recommendation shall be documented in the Conditional Amendment and kept on file for three years as documentation of the additional N application at the farm and the local SWCD office.

During the annual operation review or inspection, the evaluation will establish if the grower is improperly applying high N rates early in the season to establish additional need later. Improper waste management is a violation of the CAWMP and subject to an appropriate enforcement action.

1.21 Overseeding Coastal Bermuda Harvested for Hay or Grazed

The allowable N rate for any small grain overseeded in coastal bermuda is 50 lbs N/acre above the normal application rate for coastal bermuda. No reduction in the 50 lbs N/acre is required if the small grain is grazed.

To prevent damage to the coastal bermuda stand, the CAWMP shall specify that the small grain must be harvested before heading.

If other alternatives established by NCSU (Appendix 1.21A) are used, criteria given in this publication, including seeding and harvest dates, shall be strictly followed.

Until management suggestions for prairie grass (matua) overseeded in coastal bermuda are provided by NCSU, the N rates for overseeded prairie grass must follow the N rates for overseeded small grain established in Appendix 1.21A.

1.22 Burning Baled Hay

15NCAC 2D.1903 PERMISSIBLE OPEN BURNING WITHOUT A PERMIT, paragraph (b)(5) allows "fires purposely set to agricultural land for disease and pest control and fires set for other agricultural or apicultural practices acceptable to the Department of Agriculture." The practice of burning baled hay does not meet the intent or definition of this exemption since it does not control disease or destroy pests, and therefore is not permissible as an acceptable disposal method.

1.23 Use of Farm Records to Determine PAN

Where adequate records exist, farm records may be used to determine the amount of PAN produced by the facility using the procedure provided in appendix 1.23.

1.24 N Coefficients

A value for nitrogen uptake by crop has been selected for each soil type in North Carolina. This value must not be exceeded in situations where new fields are being added to existing waste utilization plans or included in new plans unless justified by a NCDA&CS Regional Agronomist (other qualified professionals may be identified later) based on plant tissue analysis. Where existing plans are being revised or amended (i.e. no new fields being added), using the assigned program value is encouraged, but not mandated.
N coefficients by crop and soil types are included in the new nutrient management software, and are available at the web address http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/nmp/ or your local CES office.