§ 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard. ( a ) The producer must select and implement tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion.
( b ) The producer must manage crop nutrients and soil fertility through rotations, cover crops, and the application of plant and animal materials.
( c ) The producer must manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances. Animal and plant materials include: ( 1 ) Raw animal manure, which must be composted unless it is: ( i ) Applied to land used for a crop not intended for human consumption;
( ii ) Incorporated into the soil not less than 120 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion has direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles; or
( iii ) Incorporated into the soil not less than 90 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles;
( 2 ) Composted plant and animal materials produced through a process that: ( i ) Established an initial C:N ratio of between 25:1 and 40:1; and
( ii ) Maintained a temperature of between 131 °F and 170 °F for 3 days using an in-vessel or static aerated pile system; or
( iii ) Maintained a temperature of between 131 °F and 170 °F for 15 days using a windrow composting system, during which period, the materials must be turned a minimum of five times.
( 3 ) Uncomposted plant materials.
( d ) A producer may manage crop nutrients and soil fertility to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances by applying: ( 1 ) A crop nutrient or soil amendment included on the National List of synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production;
( 2 ) A mined substance of low solubility;
( 3 ) A mined substance of high solubility: *Provided,* That, the substance is used in compliance with the conditions established on the National List of nonsynthetic materials prohibited for crop production;
( 4 ) Ash obtained from the burning of a plant or animal material, except as prohibited in paragraph (e) of this section: *Provided,* That, the material burned has not been treated or combined with a prohibited substance or the ash is not included on the National List of nonsynthetic substances prohibited for use in organic crop production; and
( 5 ) A plant or animal material that has been chemically altered by a manufacturing process: *Provided,* That, the material is included on the National List of synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production established in § 205.601.
( e ) The producer must not use: ( 1 ) Any fertilizer or composted plant and animal material that contains a synthetic substance not included on the National List of synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production;
( 2 ) Sewage sludge (biosolids) as defined in 40 CFR part 503; and
( 3 ) Burning as a means of disposal for crop residues produced on the operation: *Except,* That, burning may be used to suppress the spread of disease or to stimulate seed germination.