Every field or management unit must be managed according to the following standards:

(a) Prior to application of nutrients, the farm producer must develop and document a planned nutrient budget, yield goal, and applications of at a minimum, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) in pounds per acre. The nutrient budget must account for all known measurable nutrient sources and removals. Sources of nitrogen may include, but are not limited to, commercial fertilizers (including starter and in-furrow starter or pop-up fertilizer), animal manures, legume crops, green manures, plant or crop residues, compost, organic by-products, digestate, municipal and industrial biosolids, wastewater, organic materials, estimated plant available soil nutrients, and irrigation water; and

(b) The farm producer must base the nutrient budget on current soil test results or the professional opinion of an Agricultural Expert who is employed by the Cooperative Extension System or the agricultural departments of universities, or other Agricultural Experts approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), whose research or occupation is related to the specific crop or practice for which such expertise is sought. If the nutrient budget is based on soil test results, soil test results must be no older than 2 years. Tissue testing may be used for monitoring or adjusting the nutrient budget in accordance with the state land grant university (LGU) guidance, or industry practice recognized by the state LGU. If the nutrient budget is based on the professional opinion of an Agricultural Expert, the Agricultural Expert must be unrelated to the farm producer. To avoid any real or potential conflict of interest, an Agricultural Expert must not have a relationship with the farm producer based on one or more of the following factors (this is a non-exclusive list): familial or personal relationship, or shared ownership, governance, management, personnel, resources, finances, contracts, or marketing (including branding).