Training for Nutrient Management Planners Workshops

Scott Sturgul, NPM Program

Two workshops designed for current and potential nutrient management plan writers in Wisconsin will be offered in late summer and early fall. The intent of these two-day workshops is to provide in-depth training on the preparation of quality nutrient management plans. The program is designed for production agronomists and county-based conservation staff involved in nutrient management programs. Others are welcome to attend as well. Participants will work in small groups to prepare a functional plan for a real Wisconsin farm. The workshops will be held on August 31 and September 1, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Madison on September 28 and 29, 2009 at the Stoney Creek Inn in Wausau.

The 2009 Training for Nutrient Management Planners Workshops are revised versions of similar programs offered in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005. Updated topics include: 1) Current federal and state program requirements. 2) Introduction to new nutrient management planning tools. 3) Overview of the SNAP-Plus nutrient management planning software program.

Enrollment in each workshop is limited to 80 participants. Advance registration for the workshop is required and the registration fee is $200 per person. The registration deadlines are August 21, 2009 for the Madison workshop and September 18, 2009 for the Wausau workshop. Wisconsin Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) will receive a $50.00 discount on the registration fee courtesy of the Wisconsin CCA Board. A link to the brochure that contains an agenda and registration information is included with this issue of Crop Manager and can also be found at http://www.soils.wisc.edu/extension/upcoming/current/TNMP_2009.pdf

The TNMP workshops are a joint effort of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, UW-Madison Department of Soil Science, Discovery Farms Program, Nutrient and Pest Management Program, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For more information about the workshop or to request registration materials, contact Scott Sturgul at 608-262-7486, ssturgul@wisc.edu. To register for the workshop, contact Carol Duffy at 608-262-0485, cjduffy@wisc.edu.