Maryland rushes to write nutrient management plans

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The University of Maryland and the state department of agriculture are scrambling to write nutrient management plans for hundreds of growers as the university struggles to fill job vacancies for staff who write the plans.

The university’s agricultural college employs 22 such advisers across the state who write mandatory nutrient management plans for roughly 1,500 growers, said Emileigh Lucas, the college’s nutrient management communications specialist. After several departures, the college realized in December that seven vacancies remained unfilled.

“It’s kind of unprecedented, the number of vacancies at this time of year,” she said.

This situation has left many frustrated farmers without written plans as planting season approaches. The Maryland Agricultural Commission briefly discussed the issue at its March 8 meeting.

“We’re fully aware of the issue,” Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks said. “We’re fully aware that plans are backed up.”

After realizing that many staff members at state soil conservation districts are certified to write nutrient management plans, the university created a one-day crash-course to teach them how to use plan-writing software and to refresh their knowledge, Lucas said. Due to privacy concerns, the university is contacting growers and asking for written consent to give their information to the state so the plans can be written.

“We really value farmer privacy and don’t want that slippery slope of sending farmer information out unless they’ve consented to it,” she said. “It seems like it’s working so far, and we’re just trying to give it our best effort and help as many farmers as possible.”

Finding qualified applicants for the open positions has been difficult, said Darren Jarboe, an assistant director within the university Extension. Although the jobs are entry-level, they require some agricultural experience, which makes candidates (and staff already in those jobs) attractive to other agricultural employers, he said.

“Right now there are just a lot of opportunities available for people,” he said.

Farmers must take new soil samples at least once every three years and obtain manure analyses (if they’re applying it) every other year. Nutrient management plans are written using that data. Farmers can also hire private companies to write their management plans or they can get certified to write their own. The plans regulate how much fertilizer, manure or other nutrient sources may be applied to cropland based on nutrient levels already in the soil.