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The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has implemented nutrient management planning via our conservation practice standard Nutrient Management (590). To prepare our field office staffs to guide landowners through the nutrient management planning process, we have developed a training course that delivers the technology, planning guidelines and environmental assessment tools they will require. While this course emphasizes the technical basis of nutrient management, it also presents the field methods for environmental assessment and conservation planning that are necessary to complete the nutrient management plan. This training is delivered in three phases: 1) a self-study text and workbook, requiring approximately 30 hours to complete. Participants must successfully complete a test over this material; 2) participating in a 20-hour facilitated discussion group. This locally-led session is designed to focus on local issues as they relate to nutrient management planning; 3) students return to their work location and develop a nutrient management plan. The plan will be reviewed for completeness and accuracy by the instructors of the facilitated session.

The course material is available to anyone, inside or outside NRCS, who wishes to develop nutrient management plans. Registration and testing may be done on-line at http://www.nedc.nrcs.usda.gov/enrollment.htm. Continuing education units are available to those who successfully complete the course.