Nitrogen Management Protocol: Submitting Data for Future Expansion

With applicability of the Nitrogen Management Protocol (NMP) Versions 1.0 and 1.1 limited to corn in the Midwest, the Reserve designed the NMP to allow for the addition of new practices, crops, and geographic regions as scientific data become available to support their inclusion. In order to guide independent efforts to collect data that could be used to develop N2O‐reduction quantification models for new crops and geographic regions, the Reserve provided a “Minimum Data Standard” as an appendix to the NMP, which serves as a framework for the Reserve to determine whether reference data are sufficiently robust to develop or expand upon a quantification methodology. Researchers or interested parties who believe they have data that meet the technical requirements of the Minimum Data Standard are invited to submit that data for consideration by Reserve staff for future protocol expansion.

Submitting Information on New Data

As a first step, preliminary information about the data set (not the data set itself) shall be submitted. Reserve staff will evaluate the preliminary information and follow up if additional information is required. The Reserve will not request submission of the data itself until a formal determination is made to move forward with a protocol expansion.

The Data Information Submittal Form, including a discussion of the submittal and evaluation process, is available below.

Minimum Data Standard

As a first step, preliminary information about the data set (not the data set itself) shall be submitted. Reserve staff will evaluate the preliminary information and follow up if additional information is required. The Reserve will not request submission of the data itself until a formal determination is made to move forward with a protocol expansion.

The Data Information Submittal Form, including a discussion of the submittal and evaluation process, is available below.

In 2013, as part of a project funded by the Packard Foundation to formalize the data submittal process, the Reserve undertook a revision of the Minimum Data Standard in an effort to provide more clarity and direction to researchers undertaking N2O data collection efforts. The revised data standard, proposed submittal process, and Data Information Submittal form were released for public comment in Dec 2013. While feedback on the revised data standard was generally positive, it was clear that significantly more resources would be needed to implement a number of the recommendations made by commenters. As such, the Reserve decided to formalize the data submittal process and defer revision of the Minimum Data Standard until a later date. Anonymous and public comments received, as well as other resources supporting this effort, are available below.

Commenter A Commenter I
Commenter B Commenter J
Commenter C Commenter K
Commenter D Commenter L
Commenter E Commenter M
Commenter F Commenter N
Commenter G Environmental Defense Fund
Commenter H