Chapter 3. Nutrient management strategy requirements
Section 3.1. Receiving off-farm AD material at an RMADF
Before off-farm AD materials can be received on a farm unit for treatment in an RMADF, the following requirements must be met:
- There must be an approved nutrient management strategy for the farm unit on which the agricultural operation is carried out that contemplates receiving the materials for treatment in an RMADF
- The RMADF must be operational; and
- Where the person is receiving any Schedule 2 materials, the RMADF must have been designed by a professional engineer to minimize odour emissions and must have been built to those design specifications. See Section 4.2 for more details on the Schedules.
(see s. 98.3 (1), (2), (3), O. Reg. 267/03).
Section 3.2. Requirements for a nutrient management strategy at an RMADF
In addition to the requirements that apply to all typical nutrient management strategies under O. Reg. 267/03 for a livestock farm, the nutrient management strategy that includes an RMADF must do the following:
- Describe the procedures that will be used at the operation to decide whether the off-farm AD material meets the requirements of O. Reg. 267/03 for treatment by mixed anaerobic digestion
- Describe how any permanent nutrient storage facilities for storage of off-farm AD materials will meet the requirements of O. Reg. 267/03
- Describe how the RMADF will meet the requirements of O. Reg. 267/03; and,
- Describe the procedures that will be used at the operation to manage AD output to meet the requirements of O. Reg. 267/03.
All nutrient management strategies must include a contingency plan. The contingency plan sets out how you will deal with certain situations listed in the definition of "contingency plan" in section 1 of O. Reg. 267/03. Part 12 of the Nutrient Management Protocol provides direction on what should be included in a contingency plan.
(see s. 1. (1) "contingency plan", s. 17. (4), O. Reg. 267/03, and Part 12, Nutrient Management Protocol).
Section 3.3. Compliance with a nutrient management strategy
The AD materials generated, received or managed on the farm unit must be managed in accordance with a nutrient management strategy that is in force with respect to the operation and the farm unit.
(see s. 10. (1), (2), O. Reg. 267/03).
Section 3.4. Cessation of nutrient management strategy prior to expansion
The existing nutrient management strategy for an operation that treats materials in an RMADF ceases to be in effect and a new strategy is required if any of the following circumstances arise and are not contemplated in the existing approved strategy:
- Receipt of more than 10,000 cubic metres of off-farm AD materials in a 12-month period
- Receipt of any Schedule 2B material (described later in this document); or
- Construction or expansion of an anaerobic digestion vessel.
The operation needs to have an approved nutrient management strategy that contemplates the new circumstance before the new circumstance arises.
(see s. 22. (5.1), (5.2), (5.3) and s. 30. (1), O. Reg. 267/03).