Version 2.1
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 2.1 (December 3, 2021)
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Summary of Changes from V2.0 to V2.1
The U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol underwent a technical update to Version 2.1. The revision clarifies guidance to project ownership, credit stacking, baseline guidance and terminology for nitrogen use efficiency. The update also adds some flexibility for project development and verification such as an option for a 24-month initial reporting period and moving from field-level sampling to field-manager sampling for verification.
Version 2.0
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 2.0 (October 17, 2018)
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Summary of Changes from V1.1 to V2.0
With the generous support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, under the Conservation Innovation Grant program, the Reserve revised and expanded the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol (NMP). The revised protocol includes a standardized quantification methodology that incorporates additional regions, crops, and nitrogen management practices; updated project, aggregate, and ownership structures; modified benchmarks for the performance standard test; and several other revisions to enhance usability. For a comprehensive list of all revisions, see the Summary of Changes above. Version 2.0 of the protocol was adopted by the Reserve Board of Directors on October 17, 2018.
Public Comments
Indigo Agriculture | Neville Millar, Michigan State University |
Public Workshop
The Reserve hosted a public comment webinar on August 15, 2018 to discuss the revisions to the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol. The webinar recording and presentation slides are available below.
Meeting Presentation
Meeting Video
Workgroup
The Reserve revised the NMP through a multi-stakeholder workgroup process. The workgroup consisted of representatives from the organizations listed below.
Carbon Credit Solutions Inc. | The Climate Trust |
Climate Smart Group | The Fertilizer Institute |
Cornell University | UC Davis, Department of Environmental Science and Policy |
Environmental Defense Fund | UC Davis, Soils and Biogeochemistry |
Environmental Services, Inc. | University of Vermont |
International Plant Nutrition Institute | USAID |
Michigan State University | Veri6 Inc |
Stanford Law School |
Workgroup Meetings
Workgroup Meeting 4
June 20, 2018
Agenda
Meeting Presentation
Meeting Video
U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 2.0 Workgroup Draft (June 14, 2018)
(Note: The Workgroup Draft is not for public comment)
Workgroup Meeting 3
December 12, 2017
Meeting Video
Workgroup Meeting 2
October 10, 2017
Meeting Video
Workgroup Meeting 1
August 29, 2017
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Resources (Version 2.0)
- Request for Proposals to Develop NMP Quantification Methodology (Process Closed)
Nitrogen Management Survey
In late 2016, the Reserve issued a Nitrogen Management Stakeholder Survey to gather feedback and recommendations from stakeholders involved in the development and/or implementation of the NMP and/or other agricultural protocols and methodologies on the future expansion of the protocol. The results of the survey are summarized in the memo below.
- Nitrogen Management Survey Results Memo (March 7, 2017)
On March 15, 2017, the Reserve held a webinar to go over the results of this survey, the biggest takeaways, and next steps for the protocol revision as discussed in the memo. Meeting materials are available below.
Proposed Protocol Expansion
In January 2013, the Packard Foundation awarded grant funding to the Reserve in order to explore the potential for an expansion of the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol. The undertaking had the two-part goal of building out and formalizing the new data submittal and assessment process, and taking a pre-selected, high-quality data set through the process. As a case study, the Reserve worked closely with Ardell Halvorson and Steve Del Grosso at Colorado State University to evaluate their study (Halvorson et al., 2013) on N2O emissions from fertilizer management on irrigated corn in Colorado against the Minimum Data Standard. The assessment of the Colorado data set was very positive overall, meeting or exceeding most criteria in the Minimum Data Standard. However, the Reserve determined that it could not use the Colorado data set to move forward with an expansion at this time, as it failed to meet Reserve criteria in one critical area: replication of the study in other study sites (i.e. other sites within the county, state, region). See the resources below for more information:
Version 1.1
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 1.1 (January 17, 2013)
- Summary of Changes from Version 1.0 to Version 1.1
The U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol underwent a technical update to Version 1.1. The revision expands protocol applicability to tile drained fields in the North Central Region, allows for projects to be implemented on land designated as highly erodible land (HEL) with USDA conservation plans in place, and incorporates a number of technical revisions to improve clarity.
Public Comment Period
- Staff Response to Public Comments on Draft U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol V1.1 (January 17, 2013)
Noel Gurwick and Christina Tonitto | Union of Concerned Scientists |
Version 1.0
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 1.0 (June 27, 2012)
- U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Summary
The Reserve began scoping agriculture protocols in October 2010 and began actively developing the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol in April 2011. The technical workgroup met from April 2011 to April 2012 to refine the draft protocol. A public workshop was held in May 2012 to discuss the draft protocol which was available for public comment through April and May 2012. The final protocol was approved by the Reserve Board on June 27, 2012.
Public Comments
Public Workshop
The Reserve hosted a public workshop on May 9, 2012 in Sacramento, CA, to provide a venue for feedback on the draft U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol. Workshop materials and meeting video are available below.
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Workgroup
The Reserve worked closely with a multi-stakeholder workgroup to develop the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol. The workgroup included industry representatives, federal agency personnel, environmental organizations, verifiers and expert consultants. The workgroup included representatives from:
Ag Refresh | Scotia Capital, Inc. |
Blue Source | Stanford Law School |
Camco | UC Davis |
The Clark Group, LLC / Agricultural Carbon Market Working Group | UC Davis, Agricultural Sustainability Institute |
Environmental Defense Fund | Union of Concerned Scientists |
Environmental Services, Inc. | U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, West National Technology Support Center |
Independent Scientist, Ecosystem Modeling | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
Michigan State University | Western Growers Association |
Natural Resources Defense Council | Western United Dairymen |
Preferred Carbon Group |
Workgroup Meetings
In-Person Workgroup Meeting: San Francisco
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video: Due to technical difficulties, the meeting video/audio is not available.
U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 1.0 Workgroup Draft (April 4, 2012)
Workgroup Meeting 6
January 25, 2012
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Workgroup Meeting 5
November 10, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Workgroup Meeting 4
October 25, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
In-Person Workgroup Meeting: Los Angeles
August 1, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol Version 1.0 Workgroup Draft (July 27, 2011)
Workgroup Meeting 2
June 27, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Kick-Off Meeting
May 18, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
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- The Reserve together with the Nicholas Institute of Duke University assembled a group of leading scientific experts to form a Science Advisory Committee (SAC). The purpose of the SAC was to help the Reserve interpret and apply the best available science into the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol. Committee membership was by invitation from the Reserve and the Nicholas Institute and was based on scientific expertise, knowledge of GHG protocol development issues, and explicit interest in translating research into GHG mitigation policy applications for agriculture.
The Reserve held an all-day workshop for the SAC on September 7, 2011 and the summary report is available below.
SAC Meeting Summary (November 22, 2011)
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- The Reserve formed a Credit Stacking Subcommittee to help inform policies to evaluate project sites where multiple ecosystem service credits or payments may be available. This subcommittee was made up of workgroup members and invited experts.
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Meeting 4
Thursday, March 22, 2012
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Agenda
Register Here
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Meeting 3
September 22, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Meeting 2
August 10, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Kick-Off Meeting
July 12, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Kick-off Meeting Memo
Resources (Version 1.0)
Documents that generally supported the development of the U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol are available below.
- Background Paper: Quantification of Emission Reductions (December 22, 2011)
- Background Paper: Methodology Synthesis for Nitrogen Management (May 6, 2011)
- Options for Determining the Additionality of Agriculture Projects (September 30, 2010)
- Quantification Options for Agriculture Projects (September 30, 2010)
- Options for Managing CO2 Reversals (September 30, 2010)
- Technical Working Group on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (T-AGG) Reports: Mitigation Potential of Agricultural Land Management in the U.S.