Pennsylvania Code › Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part I - Department of Environmental Protection › Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources › Article I - Land Resources › Chapter 83 - STATE CONSERVATION COMMISSION › Subchapter D - NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT › NUTRIENT APPLICATION › Section 83.292 - Determination of nutrients needed for crop production

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) The plan must include the acreage and
						  realistic expected crop yields for each crop management unit.
(b) For the development of the initial plan,
						  expected crop yields may not exceed those considered realistic for the soil
						  type and climatic conditions, as set by the operator and the specialist, and
						  approved by the Commission or delegated conservation district. If actual yield
						  records are available during the development of the initial plan, the expected
						  crop yields shall be based on these records.
(c) If after the first 3 years of
						  implementing the plan, the yields do not average at least 80% of the planned
						  expected yield, the plan shall be amended to be consistent with the documented
						  yield levels unless sufficient justification for the use of the higher yields
						  is approved by the Commission or delegated conservation district. The amendment
						  shall be submitted as required under §
													83.371 (relating to plan
						  amendments).
(d) When determining
						  expected crop yields for plan amendments, expected crop yields shall be based
						  on documented yield levels achieved for the operation. Expected crop yields
						  higher than historically achieved may be used if sufficient justification is
						  approved by the Commission or delegated conservation district for the use of
						  the higher yields.
(e) When
						  developing the initial plan, soil tests shall be conducted for each crop
						  management unit on the operation, to determine the level of phosphorus (as P),
						  potassium (as K), and soil pH, as follows:
(1) The soil test procedures used must
						  provide accurate test results. The procedures recommended by the Pennsylvania
						  State University and published in
Recommended Soil Testing Procedures
						  for the Northeastern United States
, Bulletin #493, published by the
						  University of Delaware, may be used to meet this requirement. Other procedures
						  shall be approved by the Commission.
(2) Soil tests conducted within the previous
						  3 years prior to submitting the initial plan are acceptable.
(3) The plan must include an appendix
						  containing a summary of the results of the soil test analyses for each crop
						  management unit showing the following:
(i)
						  Soil test levels for phosphorus and potassium as reported by the
						  laboratory.
(ii) Soil test levels
						  for phosphorus (as P) in parts-per-million (PPM) and potassium (as K) in PPM,
						  after conversion from the test results from the laboratory, as
						  needed.
(iii) Soil test levels for
						  pH.
(iv) The date of the soil tests
						  and the name of the lab performing the tests.
(4) After the approval of the initial plan,
						  soil tests are required for each crop management unit at least every 3 years
						  from the date of the last test.