Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions

Controlling polluted runoff from rural, urban and transportation sources to protect Wisconsin’s water resources is the goal of state runoff management administrative rules that went into effect Oct. 1, 2002. One of these rules, Chapter NR 151, sets agricultural and non-agricultural performance standards and four common-sense manure management prohibitions.

Photo of feet in algae bloom Performance Standards and Prohibitions
What Farmers Need to Know
Nutrient Management Performance Standard
Agricultural Technical Standards
Implementation
Guidance Documents

Performance Standards and Prohibitions

All cropland and livestock operations in Wisconsin, regardless of size, must abide by the agricultural performance standards and manure management prohibitions. Conservation practices to meet the performance standards are identified in ATCP 50 [exit DNR]

Agricultural performance standards

Control cropland erosion to meet tolerable rates.
Build, modify or abandon manure storage facilities to accepted standards.
Divert clean runoff away from livestock and manure storage areas located near streams, rivers, lakes or areas susceptible groundwater contamination.
Apply manure and other fertilizers according to an approved nutrient management plan.

Manure management prohibitions

No overflow of manure storage facilities.
No unconfined manure piles near waterbodies.
No direct runoff from feedlots or stored manure into state waters.
No trampled streambanks or shorelines from livestock.

Wisconsin's Runoff Rules: What Farmers Need to Know

See DNR Pub. No. WT 756-2004 [PDF 659KB]
For More Information, see

Nutrient Management Performance Standard

The Department of Agriculture,Trade and Consumer Protection [exit DNR] has the lead responsibility for implementing the nutrient management performance standard, which will be phased in over several years.

Starting Oct. 1, 2003 for new cropland
Starting Jan. 1, 2005, for existing farming operations in watersheds containing Outstanding, Exceptional or Impaired Resource Waters, or in Source Water Protection Areas.
Starting Jan. 1, 2008, for all other existing farming operations.

Targeted Nutrient Management Performance Standard 2005

As of Jan. 1, 2005, the nutrient management performance standard, as written in NR 151.07(4), applies to watersheds containing Impaired, Outstanding or Exceptional Resource Waters, or Source Water Protection Areas. Because resources to address nutrient management are limited, the targeting criteria provide an option to better target time and money. The option presented in the targeted criteria document focuses efforts in the water quality management areas (WQMAs) of agricultural land subject to the 2005 nutrient management performance standard.

Agricultural Technical Standards

Conservation practices to meet the agricultural performance standards and prohibitions must be designed and installed according to accepted technical standards. Technical standards are maintained on the NRCS web site in the Electronic Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG). More info about Agricultural Technical Standards

Implementation

Implementing Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions - Successful implementation of practices and activities to meet the agricultural performance standards and manure management prohibitions will take the cooperative effort of many agencies, organizations and individuals. Read the implementation strategy and find out what tools have been developed and what activities have been undertaken.

DISCLAIMER: Information on this page is provided for education purposes only. Contact a member of the DNR Ag. Runoff Management Program Staff with any questions.

For more information about this page please contact

Last Revised: Friday August 15 2008