The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board requires growers to prepare Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plans (INMP) for land enrolled in the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program. INMPs are designed to promote awareness of irrigation and nitrogen management practices among growers and reduce the likelihood of nitrate, from fertilizer, entering the groundwater and degrading water quality.
For land in an area designated as a high-vulnerability groundwater area, INMPs must be certified in one of the following ways:
- Certified by a specialist in Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plans. These specialists may include Certified Professional Soil Scientists and Agronomists, Certified Crop Advisors with nitrogen management training from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Technical Service Providers certified in nutrient management in California by the National Resource Conservation Service, or Certified Agricultural Irrigation Management Specialists certified by The Irrigation Association.
- Self-certified by a member who attends a CDFA or other executive officer-approved training program for INMP certification.
Once a grower has completed the self-certification training, they are encouraged to participate in Continuing Education (CE) to facilitate information retention and expand on subjects covered in the training program.
CE Requirement for Growers
Growers are required to complete three hours of CE over a three-year period to maintain their ability to self-certify INMPs. For a list of events that offer qualifying CE hours, please visit: www.curesworks.org/cecourses/.
Offer CE hours at Your Next Event
The CDFA Fertilizer Research and Education Program encourages organizations to offer CE hours for growers at their next event on the topic of irrigation and/or nitrogen management. For more information on the application process and requirements, please visit: http://www.curesworks.org/continuing-education/.