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Introduction

This factsheet has been developed to support the implementation of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Feed Management 592 Practice Standard. The Feed Management 592 Practice Standard was adopted in 2003 as another tool to assist with addressing resource concerns on livestock and poultry operations. Feed management can assist with reducing the import of nutrients to the farm and reduce the excretion of nutrients in manure.

During the early 2000s the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) developed a memorandum of understanding “that provides an opportunity for qualified ARPAS members to become Technical Service Providers for NRCS programs in the category of feed management.” Put simply, this means that consulting nutritionists are the most appropriate advisers to develop and implement a Feed Management Plan (FMP).

Please check this link first if you are interested in organic or specialty dairy production

The NRCS Feed Management 592 Practice Standard

The NRCS Feed Management Practice Standard is defined as “managing the quantity of available nutrients fed to livestock and poultry for their intended purpose.” The purposes of the 592 standard are:

• To supply the quantity of available nutrients required by livestock and poultry for maintenance, production, performance, and reproduction, while reducing the quantity of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, excreted in manure by minimizing the overfeeding of these and other nutrients
• To improve net farm income by feeding nutrients more efficiently.

The ultimate goal of utilizing the Feed Management Practice Standard 592 is to develop a farm-specific FMP.

Becoming a Certified Nutritionist to Develop a Feed Management Plan

There are two options for becoming certified to write an FMP, depending on whether one chooses to be an ARPAS member and following Option 1 or choosing Option 2, which does not require membership in ARPAS (Figure 1).

Figure 1

ARPAS Member Certification Process (Option 1)

Information about becoming certified can be accessed at ARPAS. The process under Option 1 for becoming certified with NRCS as a Technical Service Provider in the area of feed management is a multistep process that should start with attending a Feed Management Workshop to gain knowledge in the process of development and implementation of an FMP. Workshops for 2008 are scheduled for June 14 in Dubuque, Iowa, and Nov. 12 near Harrisburg, Penn.

A second step is to pass the feed management exam for the species of interest. The exam will be available in the summer of 2008 (Figure 2).

The third step is to have completed an FMP at two farms (Figure 3).

Figure 2

The fourth step is to complete a NRCS Technical Service Provider Application form with ARPAS. This form can be found at NRCS Technical Service Provider Application Form. ARPAS will keep a record of those who have completed the NRCS Technical Service Provider Application form with ARPAS (Figure 4).

Figure 3

Figure 4

The fifth step of the process is to complete a Technical Service Agreement with NRCS. The agreement form will need to be completed in the state in which the work is done. The TechReg Step by Step Guide can be found at TechReg(Figure 5).

Non-ARPAS Member Certification Process (Option 2)

For those who choose not to be members of ARPAS, the four steps are required to become certified to write an FMP (Figure 6). These include: showing proficiency in using techniques described in Feed Management 592 Practice Standard; providing two references from where the 592 practice standard has been used; acquiring 15 hours of CEUs in feed management-related subjects every three years; and demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the NRCS National Planning Procedures Handbook – Part 600.5, Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning Technical Guidance.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Disclaimer

This factsheet reflects the best available information on the topic as of the publication date. Date 4-12-2007

This Feed Management Education Project was funded by the USDA NRCS CIG program. Additional information can be found at Feed Management Publications.

This project is affiliated with the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center.

Project Information

Detailed information about training and certification in feed management can be obtained from Joe Harrison, project leader, jhharrison@wsu.edu, or Becca White, project manager, rawhite@wsu.edu.

Author Information

J. H. Harrison, Washington State University, jhharrison@wsu.edu
R. A. White, Washington State University
A. Sutton and Todd Applegate, Purdue University
Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska
R. Burns, Iowa State University
Glenn Carpenter, Natural Resources Conservation Service

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Acknowledgments

This Feed Management Education Project was funded by the USDA NRCS CIG program. Additional information can be found at Feed Management Publications.
This project is affiliated with the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center.

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