Q: How do I use the National Weather Service forecast, and if needed, the farmers map or the Alabama Animal Waste/NutrientLand Application Map? (These can be found at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/data/farm-ers_map/ farmers map.html)
A: Animal Feeding Operation (AFO) owner/operators, Certified Animal Waste Vendors, or anyone else land applying waste/nutrients must ensure that excess nutri-ent or pollution runoff is prevented, so that storm water runoff sampling from land appli-cation fields and in stream monitoring does not have to be conducted. Land application must be done to meet or exceed Natural Resources Conservation Service technical standards and guidelines, and complies completely with Alabama Department of Environmental Management requirements.
     Both   the   forecast   and   farmers  map are designed   to   assist   farmers   with  following

facility's comprehensive animal Waste Management System Plan. If their area is in red, do not land apply. The information on the farmers map applies only for the 12-hour period shown.
     Both the National Weather Service forecast and the farmers map can be reached from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Alabama Animal Waste Management Website can be viewed at this address http://www.aces.edu/aawm along with othercurrent information relating to poultry wastemanagement and the ADEM AFO/CAFORule.

NOTE: If you have difficulty loading the farmers map, you may need to get the latest version of Macromedia's Flash reader. To download Flash reader visit the Web site
http://www.macromedia.com/support/play-ers/.

NRCS Nutrient Management Code 590 Standard as updated, which is a requirement of the ADEM AFO/CAFO program. (Code 590 can be seen by going to the Web site http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/references/
public/AL/al590.pdf) 
The farmers map does not have to be used when land applying litter, as long as the land application is based upon a valid NWS Forecast.  The farmers map is simply another tool to use with the forecast to evaluate if land application activities can be conducted in compliance with ADEM  requirements.    There   may    be  times

when using the farmers map mayallow for land application when the forecastalone would not.
     Producers can land apply animal waste/nutrients provided that up to 72-hours out from land application, using NWS weather information and by following the steps in the chart below.
     The farmers map is only intended to pro-vide farmers with an additional option whenthe forecasted chance of rain is elevated, but the amount of rain predicted is not expected to cause runoff from the field.  If a farmer site needs to land apply when the rain predictionis 50 percent or greater sometime during thenext 72-hours, they can view the farmers map, to see whether their area of the state is white. If their area is in white, producers should print a copy of the forecast and farmers map for their records and then land apply according to their Nutrient Management Plan prepared as part of their

We all know that anyone wanting to use a restricted use pesticide needs a license to purchase that pesticide. A producer who is only going to use restricted use pesticides on his farm only needs the pri-vate applicator license. An individual who will apply these restricted use pesticides for someone else (usually for a fee) needs the commer-cial applicator license.
     The same principle applies to the Certified Animal Waste Vendor program. If a producer is only going to apply his litter on his own farm, he only needs land application training on NRCS Best Management Practices to stay legal with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management AFO/CAFO Rule. If a producer is only going to land apply the litter produced on his farm to his or his neigh-bors farm, he only needs the training.
     If a farmer or vendor will be land applying litter not produced by him on another person's farm, he will need the CAWV registration to be able to shield the original producer of the litter from any legal liability

     The CAWV is trained in land application setbacks and buffers, weather conditions, crop requirements, nutrient management plan basics and record keeping. The CAWV takes the legal handling and record keeping responsibility for the original litter producer. The CAWV is subject to inspection from both the Alabama Dept. ofAgriculture and Industries and ADEM.
     The deadline to re-certify as a CAWV was June 30.
     CAWV training and testing is available over the Internet at www.aces.edu/dept/aawm/. This computer training is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and should take about two hours. (See the April 2005 issue of The Alabama Poultry Monthly) A CAWV who does not have Internet access at home may use a computer at their local county Extension office. Making an appointment ahead of time will help. Any CAWV wanting to re-certify who cannot get to a computer or who would prefer to have printed study material for the final exam may call Ted Tyson at 334-844-3542 or Cindy Dauber at 334-844-4181 for more information.