Are You Using the Right Analytical Lab
Adapted by Dr. Deanne Meyer, UCCE Livestock Waste Management Specialist, Trish Price, UC Davis, Jennifer Heguy, UCCE Merced, Stanislaus & San Joaquin, and Dr. Dirk Holstege, UC Davis
If you’re not, you may have a large headache on your hands! The Dairy General Order has specific sampling protocols as well as laboratory analytical requirements. Approved protocols are maintained at the Central Valley Regional Board’s website.[1]
The Regional Board spells out the type of laboratory and the methods the laboratory should be using. Let’s take a careful look at these requirements[2] so your results are acceptable to the Regional Board. Specifically, the Regional Board wants to be sure that samples arriving for analysis at a laboratory are analyzed with the correct methods and that the laboratory is enrolled in a proficiency testing program or environmental certification program appropriate for the analyses needed. Method of analysis AND proficiency testing or certification requirements are listed. We worked diligently to assemble the California Analytical Methods[3], a laboratory methods manual for compliance with the General Order, which is available electronically for your lab to use.
Manure analyses “shall be conducted by methods utilized by the Manure Analysis Proficiency (MAP) Testing Program or accepted by the University of California and laboratories participating in the MAP Testing Program or other programs whose tests are accepted by the University of California.” Be sure the lab you use for your solid manure samples is involved in the MAP testing program. A list of participating labs is available.[4]
Liquid manure “analyses shall be conducted by a laboratory that is either accredited for such analyses by the California Department of Health Services or that is participating in the manure analysis proficiency (MAP) program. These laboratory analyses shall be conducted in accordance with the Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 136 (Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants), MAP program-approved methods or other test methods approved by the Executive Officer.” To see if your laboratory is accredited, go to the ELAP website[5], and click on the link for ELAP wastewater certified labs. Labs are listed by county so scroll down to your county and look for your lab. Check for “FOTs: 108” after the Expiration Date. If the laboratory is not certified in FOTs:108, and they are not participating in MAP, you should not have them run your process wastewater analysis for nutrient management purposes.
Plant tissue “analyses shall be conducted by: methods utilized by the North American Proficiency Testing (NAPT) Program or accepted by the University of California; and laboratories participating in the NAPT Program or other programs whose tests are accepted by the University of California.” The list of laboratories participating in NAPT is available at the NAPT website[6]. The NAPT reference methods are from SOIL, PLANT AND WATER REFERENCE METHODS FOR THE WESTERN REGION (2003, 2nd Edition).
Irrigation water analyses “shall be conducted by a laboratory certified for such analyses by the California Department of Health Services. These laboratory analyses shall be conducted in accordance with the Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 136 (Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants) or other test methods approved by the Executive Officer.” Refer to Process wastewater above.
Soil analyses “shall be conducted by: methods utilized by the North American Proficiency Testing (NAPT) Program or accepted by the University of California; and laboratories participating in the NAPT Program or other programs whose tests are accepted by the University of California. This shall include analysis for nitrate-nitrogen and ammonium-nitrogen utilizing the 2 M potassium chloride extract of soil”. Refer to Plant tissue above for information about soil analysis requirements.
[1] http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley/water_issues/dairies/general_order_guidance/sampling_analysis/index.shtml
[2] http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley/water_issues/dairies/general_order_guidance/sampling_analysis/sampling_and_analysis_21feb08.pdf
[3] http://anlab.ucdavis.edu/dairy-general-order-compliance-2013-nutrient-management-plan/uc_analytical_methods.pdf
[4] http://www2.mda.state.mn.us/webapp/lis/maplabs.jsp
[5] http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/labs/index.shtml