Extension animal scientists in the Pacific Northwest have crafted a successful program to help animal feeding operations protect water quality. Adequate manure handling structures and budgeting manure nutrients for better crop protection have been the focus for ten years. Extension Services are now working to limit the nutrients that are imported on larger livestock operations. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new guidelines for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO/AFO) in 2003. Under the new guidelines, permitted CAFO/AFOs will be required to develop a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP). One form of a NMP is a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). There are six core elements of a CNMP: 1) feed management; 2) manure and wastewater handling and storage; 3) nutrient management; 4) land treatment; 5) record keeping; and 6) other manure and wastewater utilization options. Livestock and poultry operations defined as permitted CAFOs are required to have a NMP by December 2006. For those that choose to develop a CNMP, there will be an immediate need for an understanding of the Feeding Management element of the CNMP. Nutrition consultants in the first Feed Management training session at the Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Feed represents the largest import of nutrients to the farm, followed by commercial fertilizer (CAST Issue Paper # 21; Animal Diet Modification to Decrease the Potential for Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution; http://www.cast-science.org/). Feed Management opportunities currently exist to reduce imports of nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, to most animal and livestock operations. The technologies and approaches to achieve these reductions vary in their degree of economic feasibility and environmental impact. It is important that agricultural professionals understand the degree of success that can be expected both from an economic and an environmental standpoint. The goal of the overall project is to increase the understanding of agricultural professionals about the area of Feed Management, with an emphasis on environmental and financial sustainability of livestock and poultry operations. The primary audiences for the education program are animal nutritionists and NRCS staff, as well as other Technical Service Providers (TSPs) and advisors. Nutrient flow through a dairy.

Pacific Northwest Regional Water Quality Coordination Project Partners Land Grant Universities Alaska Cooperative Extension Service Contact Fred Sorensen: 907-786-6311 http://www.uaf.edu/ces/water/index.html University Publications: http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/publications/ Idaho University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System Contact Bob Mahler: 208-885-7025 http://www.uidaho.edu/wq/wqhome.html University Publications: http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/Catalog/catalog.html Oregon Oregon State University Extension Service Contact Mike Gamroth: 541-737-3316 http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ University Publications: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ Washington Washington State University WSU Extension Contact Bob Simmons: 360-427-9670 ext. 690 http://wawater.wsu.edu/ University Publications: http://pubs.wsu.edu/ Northwest Indian College Contact Michael Cochrane: 360-392-4299 mcochrane@nwic.edu or http://www.nwic.edu/ Water Resource Research Institutes Water and Environmental Research Center (Alaska) http://www.uaf.edu/water/ Idaho Water Resources Research Institute http://www.boise.uidaho.edu/ Institute for Water and Watersheds (Oregon) http://water.oregonstate.edu/ State of Washington Water Research Center http://www.swwrc.wsu.edu/ Environmental Protection Agency EPA, Region 10 The Pacific Northwest http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/ Office of Research and Development, Corvallis Laboratory http://www.epa.gov/wed/ For more information contact Jan Seago at 206-553-0038 or seago.jan@epa.gov
	The Project Land Grant Universities, Water Research Institutes and EPA Region 10 have formed a partnership to provide research and education to communities about protecting or restoring the quality of water resources. This partnership is being supported in part by the USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension System (CSREES). Our Goal and Approach The goal of this Project is to provide leadership for water resources research, education and outreach to help people, industry and governments to prevent and solve current and emerging water quality and quantity problems. The approach to achieving this goal is for the Partners to develop a coordinated regional water quality effort based on, and strengthening, individual state programs. Our Strengths The Project promotes regional collaboration by acknowledging existing programs and successful efforts; assessing program gaps; identifying potential issues for cross-agency and private sector collaboration; and developing a clearinghouse of expertise and programs. In addition, the Project establishes or enhances partnerships with federal, state and local environmental and water resource management agencies, such as by placing a University Liaison within the offices of EPA Region 10.
	The first part of the project started in 2004 and was designed to create awareness of phosphorus over-feeding practices and the need to reduce imported nutrients. Meetings in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho were sponsored for nutrition consultants and feed industry personnel. Due to the success of this regional program, 20 reference fact sheets were distributed. The NRCS through their Conservation Innovation Grant Program has awarded a larger, national project team $425,000 for two years to develop and implement a Feed Management Education Program for NRCS personnel. This national education project will provide needed training for staff of NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Nutrient Management Consultants (TSPs), Nutrition-Management Consultants, and designated Nutrient Management Specialists of large animal operations. In addition, a systematic approach has been developed to assess Feed Management on a livestock operation and develop an individualized Feed Management Plan. The team has developed computer tools and checklists to help advisors determine if feed management can help water quality protection on the farm and to select practices that will improve manure management and nutrient use. More reference fact sheets are being developed on different practices that may be helpful. An advisory team has been identified to provide evaluation and feedback on the content of curriculum and field assessment tools. The advisory team consists of representatives of livestock associations, the NRCS Animal Ag Water Quality Team, and 19 consulting animal nutritionists. The curriculum and tools have been tested and the first training was delivered at the Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference held in November in Vancouver, British Columbia. A second training has been schedule for January in Iowa. Eventually, all NRCS personnel will receive training and will use the tools in preparing CNMPs. The project will continue through 2007 throughout the US. Materials will become part of the NRCS Technical Services Guidebook.
	National Water Quality Program Areas The four land grant universities in the Pacific Northwest have aligned our water resource extension and research efforts with eight themes of the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension System. Animal Waste Management Drinking Water and Human Health Environmental Restoration Nutrient and Pesticide Management Pollution Assessment and Prevention Watershed Management Water Conservation and Agricultural Water Management Water Policy and Economics
	CSREES is the Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service, a sub-agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, and is the federal partner in this water quality program.

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