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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" citation="COMAR 15.20.05.02" title_num="15" subtitle_num="20" chapter_num="05" heading="Definitions.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Terms Defined.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>“Alternative use” means using poultry manure or other animal manure in environmentally acceptable ways, as determined by the Department, other than by direct land application in an unprocessed form.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Alternative use operation” means a person or entity that uses or processes poultry or livestock manure in environmentally acceptable ways, as determined by the Department, other than by direct land application in an unprocessed form.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>“Commercial poultry producer” means an entity that contracts with a farmer to raise poultry for the producer on property owned or leased by the farmer.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>“Cost-share” means a grant from the Department for the purpose of handling and transporting manure from a farm in any area of the State that the Department determines is subject to phosphorus overenrichment.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>“Department” means the Maryland Department of Agriculture.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>“Eligible cost” means a cost that the Department determines is necessary for the transport and handling of manure.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>“Eligible receiving operation” means a person who land-applies manure and:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Receives manure from an eligible sending operation;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Has fields containing soils that are not phosphorus overenriched; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Has a certified nutrient management plan for the operation that allows manure to be applied as a source of primary nutrients to these fields.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>“Eligible sending operation” means a person who:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Either is:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>A poultry grower under contract with a commercial poultry producer participating in the Project; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A person who raises or manages livestock; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Has land identified as being phosphorus overenriched or cannot use for crop production all of the generated manure because the person has:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>No cropland; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>An insufficient amount of cropland near the production site to apply the manure according to a nutrient management plan.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>“Fast Track Process” means an expedited process by which an eligible person applies for cost-share to transport manure under certain conditions including, but not limited to, the following:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>All receiving fields have soil phosphorus FIV less than 101 (or an equivalent value); and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Manure is applied only to certain crops, at certain rates and times, consistent with the Maryland Nutrient Management Manual, Section I-D, or as determined by the Department in consultation with the University of Maryland Extension.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10)">
      <text>“Fertility index value” or “FIV” means an index used to describe the relative availability of a nutrient to a plant or crop.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(11)">
      <text>“Livestock manure” means manure generated from farm animals other than broiler chickens raised under contract for a commercial poultry producer.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(12)">
      <text>“Manure” means the fecal and urinary excretion of poultry and livestock, including poultry litter and materials used as bedding.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(13)">
      <text>“Manure broker” or “broker” means a person approved by the Department who moves, arranges, or otherwise acts as the intermediary in the movement of manure from an eligible sending operation to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An eligible receiving operation;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A person who can utilize manure for an alternative use; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A person outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed pursuant to the Poultry Manure Rail Export Process.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(14)">
      <text>“Nutrient management plan” means a plan prepared by a certified nutrient management consultant or certified farm operator to manage the amount, placement, timing, and application of animal manure, fertilizer, biosolids, or other plant nutrients in order to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Minimize nutrient loss or runoff; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Maintain the productivity of soil when growing agricultural products.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(15)">
      <text>“Phosphorus overenriched soil” means soil with a phosphorus FIV value of 150 or greater (or an equivalent test result value for phosphorus) and poses a water quality risk as determined by the Department.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(16)">
      <text>"Poultry grower” means a person who:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Is under contract with a commercial poultry producer; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Generates manure from poultry.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(17)">
      <text>“Poultry manure” means manure generated by a poultry grower under contract with a commercial poultry producer.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(18)">
      <text>“Primary nutrients” means a plant food that is essential for normal plant growth and includes nitrogen (N), available phosphate (P2O5), or soluble potash (K2).</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(19)">
      <text>“Producer” means a person who generates manure from animal production.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(20)">
      <text>“Production site” means the portion of the poultry grower’s or livestock producer’s land encompassing the operation’s manure generation and storage facilities.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(21)">
      <text>“Project” means the Manure Transportation Project Program.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(22)">
      <text>“Stackable manure” or “stacked manure” means manure having less than an average of 60 percent moisture and having physical properties to be unloaded and arranged into a stable pile.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(23)">
      <text>“Standard Process” means a process by which an eligible person applies for cost-share to transport manure under certain conditions including, but not limited to, the following:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>All receiving fields have soil phosphorus FIV less than 150 (or an equivalent value);</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The manure is applied according to a certified nutrient management plan excepting, however, fields having phosphorus FIV range from 101 to 149 (or equivalent values), for which the operator must follow manure recommendations using phosphorus as a limiting factor; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The applicant submits to the Department the receiving operation’s current certified nutrient management plan so that the Department can verify the manure recommendations and soil phosphorus levels.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>