PRACTICE RESIDUE MANAGEMENT, SEASONAL (Ac.) 344 DEFINITION redistributing residues over at least 80 percent of the working width of the header. Managing the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residues on Residues shall not be burned. the soil surface during a specified period of the Limit tillage operations during the residue year. management period to undercutting tools such as blades or wide sweeps that minimize PURPOSES residue flattening or burial when available. Reduce sheet and rill erosion. Additional Criteria to Reduce Sheet and Rill Reduce soil erosion from wind and Erosion; Reduce Wind Erosion; and associated airborne particulate matter. Harvest and Utilize Renewable Bioenergy Manage snow to increase plant available Feedstocks moisture. Determine the amount and orientation of Harvest and utilize renewable bioenergy residue needed to reduce erosion within the feedstocks soil loss tolerance (T) or any other planned soil Provide food and escape cover for wildlife. loss objective using current approved erosion prediction technology. CONDITIONS WHERE APPLIES Limit partial removal of residue by means such The practice applies to all cropland including as baling, grazing, or other harvest methods to cropland biomass is removed for biofuel retain the amount needed to meet the erosion feedstocks. control objective. Maintain the remaining Seasonal residue management includes residue on the surface through periods when managing residues of annual crops from erosion has the potential to occur, or until harvest until the residue is: planting, whichever occurs first. Account for the effects of other practices such as Buried by tillage for seedbed preparation contouring, cover crops etc., in the Removed by grazing, or management system when estimating erosion. Mechanically removed Additional Criteria to Manage Snow to The practice also includes the management of Increase Plant-Available Moisture residues from biennial or perennial seed crops Trapping Snow. Crop stubble standing height from the time of seed harvest until regrowth during the time significant snowfall is expected begins the next season. to occur shall be: at least 10 inches for crops with a row CRITERIA spacing of less than 15 inches; General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes at least 15 inches for crops with a row Uniformly distribute all residues over the entire spacing of 15 inches or greater. field. The heights shall be present over at least 50% Equip combines or similar harvesting of the field. machines with spreaders capable of
RESIDUE MANAGEMENT, SEASONAL (Ac.) 344 DEFINITION Managing the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residues on the soil surface during a specified period of the year. PURPOSES Reduce sheet and rill erosion. Reduce soil erosion from wind and associated airborne particulate matter. Manage snow to increase plant available moisture. Harvest and utilize renewable bioenergy feedstocks Provide food and escape cover for wildlife. CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES The practice applies to all cropland including cropland biomass is removed for biofuel feedstocks. Seasonal residue management includes managing residues of annual crops from harvest until the residue is: Buried by tillage for seedbed preparation Removed by grazing, or Mechanically removed The practice also includes the management of residues from biennial or perennial seed crops from the time of seed harvest until regrowth begins the next season. CRITERIA General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes Uniformly distribute all residues over the entire field. Equip combines or similar harvesting machines with spreaders capable of redistributing residues over at least 80 percent of the working width of the header. Residues shall not be burned. Limit tillage operations during the residue management period to undercutting tools such as blades or wide sweeps that minimize residue flattening or burial when available. Additional Criteria to Reduce Sheet and Rill Erosion; Reduce Wind Erosion; and Harvest and Utilize Renewable Bioenergy Feedstocks Determine the amount and orientation of residue needed to reduce erosion within the soil loss tolerance (T) or any other planned soil loss objective using current approved erosion prediction technology. Limit partial removal of residue by means such as baling, grazing, or other harvest methods to retain the amount needed to meet the erosion control objective. Maintain the remaining residue on the surface through periods when erosion has the potential to occur, or until planting, whichever occurs first. Account for the effects of other practices such as contouring, cover crops etc., in the management system when estimating erosion. Additional Criteria to Manage Snow to Increase Plant-Available Moisture Trapping Snow. Crop stubble standing height during the time significant snowfall is expected to occur shall be: at least 10 inches for crops with a row spacing of less than 15 inches; at least 15 inches for crops with a row spacing of 15 inches or greater. The heights shall be present over at least 50% of the field.
IL344DrafAug2011.docx