Performance Guidelines for Nutrient Application Technicians

Individuals who apply nutrients to a phased-in agricultural operation that requires a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) where they are not the owner or operator must have a Nutrient Application Technicians Licence. The roles and responsibilities of licenced Nutrient Application Technicians are taught in the Nutrient Application Technician Licence course (DVD/Video and Workbook).

The following performance guidelines are intended to provide consistent processes for nutrient application technicians, beyond the requirements of the Nutrient Application Technician Licence. They reflect “best/beneficial management practices” for the industry and outline practices consistent with providing professional services to clients.

A variety of groups, including representatives from OMAFRA, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), land applicators, and agricultural organizations contributed to developing these guidelines.

General Guidelines

• Act conscientiously and diligently in providing professional services.

• Actively pursue formal and informal learning opportunities to enhance and improve your level of knowledge and competence with respect to current nutrient management legislation and practices, as well as related Acts and Regulations (e.g., Highway Traffic Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, etc.).

• Identify where and how to access information that will help you do your job: OMAFRA Factsheets and Infosheets, Best Management Practices books, OMAFRA website and e-laws website, bound Regulations book.

• Maintain an understanding of company operating practices and proper usage of equipment

• Understand your obligations to clients and the law in land applying nutrients correctly and responsibly.

• Work with clients on-site to verify that conditions described in an NMP reflect field conditions (set-backs, sensitive features).

• Ask your employer to clarify any situation that you are unsure about, or contact an OMAFRA Field Staff person.

• Communicate with co-workers, clients and your employer to make sure everyone understands any situations that you encounter on a farm that could affect the land application of nutrients.

Land Application Guidelines

• Use best/beneficial management practices and exercise common sense when applying on land, for example:
  
  
  • Check weather forecasts to avoid spreading right before heavy rain
  • Adjust application accordingly to minimize runoff
    
    
• Take measures to ensure proper functioning of equipment and proper calibration, including performing regularly scheduled maintenance.
  
  
• Understand and follow safety procedures when dealing with such things as manure gas and confined spaces.
  
  
• Use regulatory standards as best/beneficial management practices for farm operations that are not subject to O. Reg. 267/03, for example:
  
  
  • Avoid over application
  • Identify potential contamination points
  • Recognize sensitive features
  • Use appropriate application methods
  • Land apply to legislative standards, even on farms that don’t require an NMP
  • Monitor tile drains during and after land application

Provide Professional Services

• Understand the duty to report any adverse effect whether it occurs on a Technician’s job site or not.

• Keep thorough and accurate records for all clients, requirements of the General Regulation. Record dates, names and locations of generators and receivers, types of nutrients and volumes. And make these records available to clients.

• Follow practices that will assure good neighbourly relations.

• Follow on-farm biosecurity measures.

• Inform clients, or advise your employer, if actions undertaken or planned to be undertaken, are in breach of known laws or contrary to beneficial management practices.

• Immediately inform the proper government agency/agencies of any contraventions of provincial legislation.