Nutrient and Pest Management Considerations in Conservation Planning

Course Overview

Nutrient and pest management is becoming increasingly important in Conservation Planning. To adequately address nutrient and pest management considerations, planners must become more familiar with the basic scientific processes important to nutrient and pest management, as well as important ecological interactions and site conditions as they relate to offsite environmental concerns. The mission of NRCS calls for integration of nutrient and pest management into Resource Management System (RMS) Planning. Planners need an awareness of the cause and effect relationships of nutrient and pest management to better support partnerships with State agencies, Extension, Certified Crop Advisors, private industry, and the farmer. With this increased awareness, planners will be more able to incorporate important environmental considerations into nutrient and pest management planning, especially in environmentally sensitive areas. Planners need to know how to implement nutrient and pest management practices in an overall RMS plan.

This training course introduces NRCS' mission in the nutrient and pest management arena and how it relates to the RMS planning process. It also identifies regulatory requirements and partnership roles that help to define that mission. It provides the participant with a basic understanding of the science of nutrient and pest management, as well as environmental concerns associated with the use of nutrients and pest management measures, including environmental risk, and the processes that affect the fate and transport of nutrients and pesticides in the environment. Also covered are climate and water management planning considerations and their practical aspects as they relate to nutrient and pest management. The course contains a video that illustrates the challenges of pest and nutrient management. After successful completion of the self-paced Modules 1 - 6, participants will use exercises and assessment tools in a facilitated session to reinforce and apply important concepts. The participant will prepare a nutrient and/or pest management component of a RMS plan to complete the training.

American Society of Agronomy Certfied Crop Advisor Program This course is certified by American Society of Agronomy Certified Crop Advisor Program.

Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Describe NRCS’ role in nutrient and pest management, and the policies, rules and regulations that impact nutrient and pest management components of a Resource Management System (RMS) Plan.
• Define environmental risk, list concerns associated with environmental risk, and describe the processes that affect the fate and transport of nutrients and pesticides in the environment.
• Describe the important chemical, biological and physical processes underlying the science of nutrient and pest management.
• Explain the importance of weather information and incorporate the factors of climate and water management into a nutrient and pest management plan.
• Identify major natural resource concerns, planning considerations and potential conservation practices which should be included in a Resource Management System, and the level of nutrient and pest management necessary for adequate resource protection.
• Describe the process for planning the nutrient and pest management components of a conservation plan, including other conservation practices and/or management techniques necessary to reduce adverse environmental impacts.
• Develop nutrient and pest management components of an RMS plan.

Target Audience

This course is designed for NRCS staff, certified crop advisors, crop consultants, and industry representatives that are, or will be, developing nutrient and pest management components of the over-all conservation plan.

Prerequisites

Completion of Introduction to Water Quality is required unless specifically waived.

Duration

40 - 80 hours for each track depending on the participant's knowledge and experience.

Method of Delivery

This training involves self study, facilitated sessions and actual development of the nutrient and pest management components of an RMS plan.

Program Tracks and Parts

This training program is divided into two tracks:

Track 1 – Nutrient Management

Track 2 – Pest Management

Each track is offered as an individual component of the overall course.

Each track consists of three parts:

Part I - Self study

Part II - Facilitated session

Part III - Completion of a nutrient and pest management component of an RMS plan

After successful completion of Part 1, the self-paced Modules 1 - 6, participants will proceed to part 2 and use exercises and assessment tools in a facilitated session to reinforce and apply important concepts. Once Parts 1 and 2 are successfully completed the participant proceeds to Part 3 and will prepare a nutrient and/or pest management component of an RMS plan to complete the training.

Delivery of the Parts

Part I of both tracks consists of reading materials which is available on Aglearn.  The reading materials contain both nutrient and pest management subject matter. The materials were developed in this manner because of the scientific overlap and issues common to both tracks.  Participants are directed to specific portions of the workbook to complete their study in either nutrient or pest management.  Students will have one year from the registration day to complete the course.  Once you register the self study course in Aglearn, you can access the reading materials and exams online and print certificate of completion.

Parts II and III of both tracks are delivered in each state by designated state facilitators. Part II consists of a facilitated session that uses exercises and assessment tools to reinforce and apply important concepts. Part III requires the participant to develop the respective management component of a Conservation Plan that is reviewed and approved by the designated Primary State Facilitator in the state.

The designated Primary State Facilitator must coordinate completion of Parts II and III with the State Training Officer and the National Employee Development Center (NEDC). This coordination includes:

• providing a list of participants who complete Part II (facilitated session) and Part III (component plan) to the State Training Officer; and
• reporting to NEDC those participants who have completed Parts II and III.

NEDC will issue a Certificates of Completion for both tracks when all three parts of the specific track are reported as completed.

Course Numbers

The following course numbers are assigned in AgLearn:

• Nutrient Management Track 1, Part I  - NRCS-NEDC-000083
• Nutrient Management Track Complete - NRCS-NEDC-000084
   
• Pest Management Track 2, part 1 - NRCS-NEDC-000085
• Pest Management Track Complete - NRCS-NEDC-000086

The State Training Officer must set up state course numbers in AgLearn to report completion of Part II (facilitated session) and Part III (component plan) for NRCS employees.

Posttests

Posttests are associated with these courses.

• You must use Microsoft Internet Explorer as your browser.
• You can access these tests from your home if you wish, but dial-up connections are not recommended.  High speed Internet access is recommended.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

CEUs will be offered in the Soil and Water, Pest Management and/or Nutrient Management competency areas for successfully completing each of the three phases of the course (Workbook, Facilitated Discussion, Plan Development).

NEDC Contact

Andrelino A. Alix

Technical Coordinator

Jim Wood

Enrollment

Enrollment instructions are provided below.  Be sure to select the appropriate link to ensure successful enrollment. 

USDA Employees

Proceed to the Aglearn to login using your USDA eAuthentication ID and password.  This is the same as your WebTCAS ID and password.
Select Catalog, Select Natural Resources Conservation Service under Subject Area Menu, Choose the course name by select the button Launch content or Add to Learning Plan to register and complete the course.

District Employees with Aglearn account

Proceed to the Aglearn to login using your USDA eAuthentication ID and password. This is the same logon ID and password used for the TechReg TSP application or profile.
Select Catalog, Select Natural Resources Conservation Service under Subject Area Menu, Choose the course name by select the button Launch content or Add to Learning Plan to register and complete the course.

If you do not have an account.  Specific instructions on securing a USDA user account and password are located at getting started.  For further assistance contact the USDA state office in your state for assistance in obtaining an eAuthentication ID and password and AgLearn account.

Technical Service Providers

Proceed to the Aglearn to login using your USDA eAuthentication ID and password. This is the same logon ID and password used for the TechReg TSP application or profile.
Select Catalog, Select Natural Resources Conservation Service under Subject Area Menu, Choose the course name by select the button Launch content or Add to Learning Plan to register and complete the course.

If you are anticipating becoming a Technical Service Provider please review the entire process at TechReg.  Please familiarize yourself with this process if you have not already done so.  Specific instructions on securing a USDA user account and password are located at getting started.

Other USDA Customers

For those not in the above categories contact the USDA state office in your state for assistance in obtaining an eAuthentication ID and password and AgLearn account.
To obtain this contact information for your state you can go to the Aglearn website click on contact us. Scroll down to NRCS and click on the link that says state contacts.