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Agricultural Best Management Practices Manual Now Available

Like a Cecil B. DeMille movie, the manual was years in the making, by a cast of thousands.

The “Manual of Best Management Practices for Maine Agriculture” has been published after years of preparation by many cooperating agencies and individuals. It is a reference document for staff of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Educators, agricultural industry experts and others.

The Manual is a tool for assisting planners charged with developing and/or evaluating best management practices (BMPs) on farms for resolving agriculture-related environmental concerns, and may be used as a guide for determining whether a farm is conforming to or has adopted BMPs. Certain Maine statutes require conformance to, and adoption of, BMPs by agricultural operations. This manual provides guidance on adhering to these practices. Farming activities/site conditions are diverse and BMPs must be adapted to conditions on a site-specific basis.

The 144 best management practices listed in the Manual, along with their associated 400 references from the scientific literature or technical manuals, constitute a menu from which appropriately trained/experienced planners can select BMPs for problem solving. It must be recognized, however, that this Manual is a collection of “standard” or “conventional” BMPs, that it is not possible for any one Manual to cover every situation that might arise, and that other valid procedures or practices not listed here may be utilized successfully to achieve desired performance expectations.

The Manual is not a static document. As research continues, farm management practices change, and new ideas evolve, additional or modified BMPs with innovative approaches to problem resolution will be added to future updates of this document.

Copies of the Manual, as well as review copies of most of the 400 references mentioned above, are available in the Nutrient Management Office. The Manual will be posted on the Department’s website soon for easy access. Many of these references have an active link that can be accessed directly from the on-line manual.

If you have questions regarding the Manual or to obtain a copy, please call or email:

Mark F. Hedrich Nutrient Management Coordinator Maine Department of Agriculture SHS #28 Augusta, Maine 04333-0028 Tel. (207) 287-7608 Email: mark.hedrich@maine.gov