(a) Nutrient management standards. To qualify for any nutrient management practice (nitrification inhibitors, controlled release fertilizers, no fall application, split in-season application) under this part, field(s) or management unit(s) must be managed according to the following standards:

(1) Prior to implementation, the farm producer must develop and document a planned nutrient budget, yield goal, and applications of at a minimum, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (N-P-K) in pounds per acre. The nutrient budget must account for all known measurable nutrient sources and removals. Sources of nitrogen may include, but are not limited to, commercial fertilizers (including starter and in-furrow starter or pop-up fertilizer), animal manures, legume crops, green manures, plant or crop residues, compost, organic by-products, municipal and industrial biosolids, wastewater, organic materials, estimated plant available soil nutrients, and irrigation water; and

(2) The farm producer must base the nutrient budget on current soil test results or the professional opinion of an agricultural expert who is employed by the Cooperative Extension System or the agricultural departments of universities, or other persons approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), whose research or occupation is related to the specific crop or practice for which such expertise is sought. Soil test must be no older than 2 years. Tissue testing may be used for monitoring or adjusting the nutrient management plan in accordance with the state LGU guidance, or industry practice recognized by the state LGU.

(b) Nitrification inhibitor standards. To qualify for the practice under this part, field(s) or management unit(s) must be managed in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section and with the following standards:

(1) The farm producer must apply an inhibitor with all synthetic nitrogen (synthetic N) applications, including any pre-emergent applications. Inhibitors must be defined by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officers (AAPFCO) and be accepted for use by the State fertilizer control official, or similar authority, with responsibility for verification of product guarantees, ingredients (by AAPFCO definition), and label claims.

(2) [Reserved]

(c) No fall application standards. To qualify for the no fall application practice under this part, field(s) or management unit(s) must be managed as specified in paragraph (a) of this section and with the following standards:

(1) The first synthetic N application must occur within 30 days prior to or at the time of planting; and

(2) The farm producer must not apply synthetic N in the fall on fallow fields or fields in cover crop. This includes any synthetic N included in phosphorus fertilizers.

(d) Split in-season application standards. To qualify for the split in-season application practice under this part, field(s) or management unit(s) must be managed accordingly in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section and with the following standards:

(1) Farm Producer must apply at least 75 percent of total crop synthetic N needs after crop emergence. Post emergent synthetic N may be reduced based on crop scouting, in-season soil sampling or analysis, or plant tissue sampling or analysis. Nutrient availability should be timed to crop uptake.

(2) [Reserved]

(e) Nutrient management recordkeeping standards. Farm producers must maintain records demonstrating correct implementation of the nutrient management practice(s) for 5 years. Records must contain sufficient detail to be readily understood and auditable. Records may be of varying types and origins, including, but not limited to, physical documentation (for example, paper forms, invoices, receipts, seed tags), digital files (including from farm management software), data generated by farm equipment (for example, precision agriculture equipment), remotely sensed data, georeferenced and timestamped photographs, or data and records used for participation in USDA programs. Records must demonstrate:

(1) Development of a nutrient budget that accounts for realistic yield goal and all known and measurable sources of N-P-K;

(2) Soil test results, soil test methods, laboratory where soil test was conducted, and date of the soil test within 2 years of the development of the nutrient budget. In-season soil samples or tissue samples results for N analysis should be provided along with methods, laboratory, and date sampled;

(3) Date(s), method(s), location(s) of all nutrient applications in pounds per acre for N-P-K;

(4) The source and type of nutrients supplied, including nutrient content;

(5) Field(s) or management unit(s) where nutrient management practice(s) is implemented, including location and acreage;

(6) Planting or seeding date for field(s) and management unit(s) where nutrient management practice(s) is implemented;

(7) Total acreage using each nutrient management practice across the operation; and

(8) Total bushels of the crop harvested from field(s) or management unit(s) where each nutrient management practice was implemented.

(f) Nutrient management verification. When auditing nutrient management practice(s), the third-party verifier must verify development of a nutrient management budget that accounts for all known and measurable sources of nutrients (that is, N-P-K). For nitrification inhibitors, the third-party verifier must verify that inhibitors were used with 100 percent of synthetic N application on all field(s) or management unit(s) where the practice was implemented. For timing practices (no fall application or split in-season application), the third-party verifier must verify application timing through management records.