Why CNMPs?Why CNMPs?

Rich KoenigRich Koenig

Soil SpecialistSoil Specialist

Utah State UniversityUtah State University

SituationSituation

You are out on the farm telling You are out on the farm telling a producer he/she needs to a producer he/she needs to develop a CNMP develop a CNMP

He/she asks: He/she asks:

““Why?”Why?”

How do you respond?How do you respond?

Response = messageResponse = message

““You have to do this to qualify for You have to do this to qualify for government cost-share money”government cost-share money”

““This is just another government program. This is just another government program. Develop the thing, put it on the shelf, and Develop the thing, put it on the shelf, and you will be okay”you will be okay”

(if it’s done properly) (if it’s done properly) “A management plan “A management plan (of which a CNMP is part) might help you (of which a CNMP is part) might help you and your operation be more profitable, run and your operation be more profitable, run smoothly, be sustainable…”smoothly, be sustainable…”

Consider...Consider...

How you respond and the message How you respond and the message you send will determine the success you send will determine the success or failure of this programor failure of this program

This may very well be the most This may very well be the most important stepimportant step

• Convincing the producer of the need Convincing the producer of the need and value of a CNMPand value of a CNMP

• Getting producer buy-in or ownershipGetting producer buy-in or ownership

Consider…Consider…

The success of this program The success of this program will not be measured in the will not be measured in the number of plans prepared but number of plans prepared but in the in the impactsimpacts

• Implementation and Implementation and documentation documentation

•Water quality impactsWater quality impacts

Why CNMPs?Why CNMPs?

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Why CNMPsWhy CNMPs

ManyMany complex issues driving complex issues driving livestock industry regulationslivestock industry regulations

The National Strategy does a The National Strategy does a poor job of making the case for poor job of making the case for CNMPsCNMPs

Why CNMPs?Why CNMPs?

Water quality issuesWater quality issues Social/political issuesSocial/political issues Government regulation issuesGovernment regulation issues Environmental stewardship Environmental stewardship

issuesissues Economic issuesEconomic issues

Water quality issuesWater quality issues

PfisteriaPfisteria EutrophicationEutrophication Nitrates, phosphates,Nitrates, phosphates,

pesticides, bacteriapesticides, bacteria State 303d listsState 303d lists Public experience and perceptionPublic experience and perception

Direct proof of agriculture’s contribution Direct proof of agriculture’s contribution to water quality problemsto water quality problems

California Dairy California Dairy exampleexample

5 San Joaquin Valley Dairies, ~1000 AU and 125 5 San Joaquin Valley Dairies, ~1000 AU and 125 acres eachacres each

44 shallow groundwater monitoring wells around 44 shallow groundwater monitoring wells around facilitiesfacilities

Nitrate-N levels frequently as high as 100 mg/LNitrate-N levels frequently as high as 100 mg/L Why? Why?

• Sandy soilsSandy soils

• Residual soil nitrogen levels as high as 1000 lb Residual soil nitrogen levels as high as 1000 lb N/acreN/acre

• No credit given for manure and wastewater NNo credit given for manure and wastewater N

Social/political issuesSocial/political issues The world is becoming more crowded, The world is becoming more crowded,

putting more pressure on limited putting more pressure on limited resourcesresources

What once was okay now may not beWhat once was okay now may not be Generally, greater environmental Generally, greater environmental

awareness on the part of the publicawareness on the part of the public Farmers comprise less than 5% of the Farmers comprise less than 5% of the

U.S. populationU.S. population Third party lawsuitsThird party lawsuits Point source industries point to farmers Point source industries point to farmers

and say clean up your act, we didand say clean up your act, we did

Government regulationGovernment regulation

Clean Water ActClean Water Act• Can’t pollute waterCan’t pollute water

State regulationsState regulations• Can’t pollute waterCan’t pollute water

National AFO StrategyNational AFO Strategy• Voluntary program orVoluntary program or

• ““Last chance” for animal Last chance” for animal agriculture to clean up its actagriculture to clean up its act

Environmental Environmental stewardshipstewardship

The role and image of farmers as The role and image of farmers as environmental stewardsenvironmental stewards

Need for documentation or proof Need for documentation or proof of environmental stewardshipof environmental stewardship

• If you don’t know…, …can’t If you don’t know…, …can’t document…, …can’t prove…, document…, …can’t prove…, etc., why should I believe you are etc., why should I believe you are an good environmental steward?an good environmental steward?

Economic issuesEconomic issues

Managing agricultural wastes Managing agricultural wastes (manure, etc.) is a (manure, etc.) is a net costnet cost• Cost of livestock waste Cost of livestock waste

management is not accurately management is not accurately reflected in the price of the reflected in the price of the commoditiescommodities

• Dairy example (B. Godfrey, USU):Dairy example (B. Godfrey, USU):–Cost $200 per cow per year–Cost $1.10 per 100 lb milk

CORE 4 DataCORE 4 Data

Economic issuesEconomic issues

Managing agricultural wastes as Managing agricultural wastes as a resource can reduce the cost, a resource can reduce the cost, but there is still a net costbut there is still a net cost

• Dairy example:Dairy example:–N and P value = $56 per cow per year

–N and P value = $0.31 per 100 lb milk

Why CNMPs?Why CNMPs?