California’s Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board requires growers to prepare Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) worksheets for land enrolled in the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program. For most growers, INMP worksheets must be certified by a specialist or by a grower who has attended a California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) training for grower self-certification.
In 2015, CDFA awarded grant funding to the Coalition for Urban and Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES) to execute the Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Training Program (INMTP) for Grower Self-Certification. This five-year pilot project delegated overall program management responsibilities to CURES, including the management of training records and continuing education. As the initial pilot project neared completion, CDFA surveyed stakeholders to determine the future direction of the project. Many stakeholders expressed interest in the sustainability of the training program moving forward.
Management Transition
As of March 1, 2021, CDFA’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) assumed full management responsibility of the INMTP. This includes oversight and administration of the training and exam for grower self-certification and the associated continuing education.
The management transition has brought about new changes to the INMTP, highlighted below.
New Webpages
CDFA FREP has launched two new webpages to provide information on training and continuing education opportunities.
Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Training Page
Highlights include:
- Information on the Nitrogen Management Specialty for Certified Crop Advisors
- Information on the Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Training for Grower Self-Certification
- List of upcoming training dates
Highlights include:
- List of upcoming continuing education courses
- List of self-study continuing education courses
- Application to offer Continuing Education Credits
New Branding
To participate in the INMTP and renew their eligibility to self-certify INMP worksheets, growers are required to complete three hours of approved continuing education every three years. With the change in management, the continuing education credits have been rebranded. Formerly known as “CURES Credits,” they will now be called “CDFA INMP Credits.”
New Program Contact Information
If you have any questions about the INMTP, please reach out to the training program coordinator at FREP@cdfa.ca.gov.