Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning (CNMP)

The United States Department of Agriculture and the US Environmental Protection Agency have developed a Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding operations to help producers achieve production and natural resource conservation goals. Implementation of the unified strategy is based on development of CNMPs that:

• Are a subset of a conservation plan

• Combine management activities and practices into an integrated system

• Are site-specific

• Are voluntary

• Focus on nutrient and sediment aspects of water quality

A Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) is a conservation plan unique to animal feeding operations (AFOs). CNMPs document practices and strategies adopted by livestock operations to address natural resource concerns related to soil erosion, livestock manure, and disposal of organic by-products.

The development of a CNMP begins with a comprehensive engineering and conservation planning resource assessment of current site conditions. Management options and structural alternatives are developed to address resource concerns identified during the assessment.

The minimum criteria for developing a CNMP are defined in the NRCS National Planning Procedures Handbook (NPPH), Subpart E (Parts 600.50- 600.54) as amended by Missouri NRCS. Individuals who approve CNMPs must be certified by the Missouri NRCS or through the TechReg website.

CNMPs will provide documentation that addresses the six CNMP elements. Not all these elements will be included in all CNMPs, but all must be considered by the AFO owner/operator during CNMP development. The six elements are:

• Manure and Wastewater Handling and Storage

• Land Treatment Practices

• Nutrient Management

• Recordkeeping

• Feed Management

• Other Utilization Activities

CNMP documents must satisfy requirements of the Missouri NRCS Statement of Work. This document implements the National NRCS Guidelines for CNMP Format and Content.

See details on the NRCS approach to addressing natural resource conservation goals for animal feeding operations by following this link.

Missouri NRCS CNMP Development Overview

Resources for Animal Feeding Operation Planners

• CAFO History—A Fact Sheet that gives a history and timeline of the development of the EPA CAFO Rule.
• LPES Curriculum CAFO Fact Sheets—the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship curriculum publication series.
• LPES Curriculum Lessons—The Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship curriculum series.
• Permitting Animal Operations in Missouri—A website that offers a step-by-step guide to the CAFO permit process in Missouri.
• State of Missouri Regulatory Requirements
• Resources for Missouri Nutrient Management Planners—The one-stop shop for nutrient planners in Missouri.

• The following document requires Acrobat Reader.

  MDNR NPDES CAFO Permitting (PDF, 111 KB) (Text version)—The Missouri Department of Natural Resources process for obtaining National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
• MU Extension Animal Manure Guide Sheet Series

Tools for Planners

• Risk Assessment Tools
• Shelterbelt/Windbreaks for AFOs—A tool for the design, implementation and maintenance of shelterbelts for animal feeding operations.

• The following document requires Microsoft Excel.

  Whole-Farm Nutrient Balance (698 KB)—This is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet tool from the University of Nebraska that estimates the balance or imbalance of all nutrients entering and leaving the farm boundary in crops, feeds, animals, fertilizers, and irrigation water. It gives the planner a rough estimate of whether the operation is sustainable in terms of nutrient flow.

Creating the CNMP Document

Note: Missouri NRCS uses a software-based approach with Purdue’s Manure Management Planner (MMP) and the University of Missouri’s Spatial Nutrient Management Planner (SNMP). These tools help with the numerous calculations required, and give a suggested plan format. Documents and web links provided here supplement the report format from MMP/SNMP, and give important background information for planners.

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