How Do I Report Agriculture Capability Ratings in a Manure Management Plan?

 

Agriculture Capability ratings are used by Manitoba Conservation in the approval of Manure Management Plans (MMP) and in any follow-up auditing phase to enforce the soil nitrate (NO₃-N) limits.

• Residual and in-season (2 x residual) limits for NO₃-N are now based on Agriculture Capability ratings (Section 12 of the Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation)
   
• Agriculture Capability ratings are not used to determine manure application rates, nor are the soil NO₃-N limits
   
  • it is NO₃-N in soil that is regulated
     
  • manure application rates are not regulated based on the nitrate limits as manure supplies ammonium and organic N, not NO₃-N
     
  • do NOT subtract soil test NO₃-N result from soil NO₃-N limits to calculate what rate of N to apply – this is wrong
     
• However, Agriculture Capability can be used in combination with other sources of information, producer knowledge in particular, to determine reasonable expectations for crop productivity on a given field (i.e. target yield for a specific crop which is used, along with the residual soil NO₃-N test result, by the soil testing lab to determine nitrogen recommendations for the crop)

The Manitoba Conservation Manure Management Plan (MMP) form includes a field application summary which contains a line for Agriculture Capability ratings for each field.

Agriculture Capability ratings, including both class and sub-class, are to be obtained from published soil survey data, either hard-copy or electronic.

• The hard-copy source of both class and sub-class for a field is a detailed soil survey report (hard copy reconnaissance soil survey reports do not contain Agriculture Capability ratings)
   
• Electronic sources of both class and sub-class are Agri-Maps and the Manitoba Land Initiative:
   
  • Agri-Maps Map Viewer provides easy access through a regular internet connection in a relatively simple stepwise process
     
  • Manitoba Land Initiative (MLI) provides access only through the use of GIS software in a relatively complicated stepwise process

• Do not modify Agriculture Capability ratings from those that are indicated on the published maps (hard-copy detailed reports, Agri-Maps or MLI), even if the ratings do not reflect current field conditions
   
• Changes in field management that may justify a change in Agriculture Capability ratings will be considered at the auditing phase of enforcement of the soil nitrate limits

It is recommended that all Agriculture Capability ratings identified for a particular field be listed on the MMP in order of estimated/actual relative proportion from largest to smallest for the portions of that field that will receive manure.

• e.g. if a field is made up of 60% Class 4T, 35% Class 2W and 5% Class 4W, the ratings should be listed as 4T, 2W, 4W
   
• The MARC manure management planning software allows this information to be clearly identified.
   

Include reference (report #, Agri-Maps or MLI) and scale of soil survey information used.

Consult the “What is the Agriculture Capability Rating System? Where do I find Agriculture Capability Ratings?” for:

• instructions on determining Agriculture Capability ratings from various sources
   
• explanation of soil survey information available in Manitoba
   
• cautionary notes regarding its use for certain applications
   

Note that the instructions in the “What is the Agriculture Capability Rating System? Where do I find Agriculture Capability Ratings?” regarding the producer/landowner confirming or refuting ratings do not apply to the completion of a MMP

• This exception is due to the requirement that the ratings entered in a MMP be from published sources only.

 

For further information, contact your GO Representative.