Annual Implementation Reports Due March 1

Farmers Encouraged to File Reports Electronically 

(ANNAPOLIS, MD) January 29, 2024- The Maryland Department of Agriculture is reminding farmers that the deadline to submit Annual Implementation Reports (AIRs) outlining nutrient applications made in calendar year 2023 is March 1, 2024. For those who want to save time and paper, an electronic reporting option remains available through Maryland OneStop. Farmers will need to register for an account or log in to their existing account to use the e-file option.

Approximately 5,100 Maryland farmers are regulated by the department’s Nutrient Management Program. These farmers are required to follow nutrient management plans when fertilizing crops and managing animal manure and submit annual reports summarizing nutrient applications for the previous year. Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) operating under a permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment submit one combined Reporting Form and a manure analysis to Maryland’s Nutrient Management Program.

Electronic filing of AIRs offers many advantages. Farmers report that it is faster, easier, and more accurate than paper reporting. Users will be guided through the application process and receive a delivery confirmation when the report is submitted and status updates as data is verified.

A mail-in option remains available this year for farmers who want to continue to submit paper reports. Paper forms will be mailed to all regulated farmers by the end of January. They can also be downloaded immediately from the department’s website. For more information, farmers should contact their regional nutrient management office.

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