Farm Water Quality Management Plan (Farm Plan)
The Farm Water Quality Management Plan (Farm Plan) is a planning and recordkeeping tool used by growers to manage various aspects of their agricultural operation and complete reporting required by the Ag Order, such as the Annual Compliance Form (ACF). Certain elements in the Farm Plan must be reported on, such as nitrogen management and management practices implemented on the ranch. Growers must maintain a current copy of their Farm Plan for each ranch.
The Central Coast Water Board does not have a template for the Farm Plan, however third-party programs and technical assistance providers can create templates to assist growers. Growers may also complete their own template. The Farm Plan must include the following sections required by Ag Order 4.0:
- Irrigation and Nutrient Management Plan (INMP)
- Pesticide Management Plan (PMP)
- Sediment and Erosion Management Plan (SEMP)
- Water Quality Education
- CEQA Mitigation Measure Implementation
Growers must maintain all records related to compliance with the Ag Order for a minimum of ten years. Records include monitoring information, calculations, management practice implementation and assessment, education records, and all required reporting information used to submit complete and accurate reports.
