Ontario Nutrient Management Rules and Resources
Every official Ontario and federal source that governs how nutrients are applied on farm — verified links to the legislation, the regulators, and the agronomic guidance.
Who needs a nutrient management plan?
Ontario's Nutrient Management Act and O. Reg. 267/03 set out which operations require a nutrient management strategy or plan — driven largely by livestock numbers (nutrient units) and by whether the operation is expanding or generating prescribed materials. Rules also restrict application near wells, surface water and on frozen or snow-covered ground. Check the legislation directly and confirm with OMAFRA.
Official sources
📕 Agronomy & crop production
- OMAFRA Publication 811 — Agronomy Guide for Field Crops
- Agronomy Guide 811 — full PDF
- Ontario Crop Protection Hub (pesticide recommendations)
- Grain Farmers of Ontario — markets & agronomy
🧪 Soil health & fertility
- Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA)
- Canadian Soil Information Service (CanSIS) — soil maps
- OMAFRA Soil Testing guidance
⚖️ Laws & compliance (Ontario e-Laws)
- Nutrient Management Act, 2002
- Pesticides Act
- Drainage Act
- Environmental Protection Act
- Ontario Water Resources Act
🍁 Federal regulators
- CFIA — Fertilizer regulations & registration
- Health Canada PMRA — Pesticide Label Search
- Canadian Grain Commission — licensed grain companies
🌦️ Weather, climate & risk
- Environment Canada — Historical climate data
- Weather INnovations — crop weather & GDD
- Agricorp — crop & production insurance
👩🌾 Advisors
Records worth keeping
- Soil test reports from an accredited laboratory, with dates
- Manure analyses and application records — rate, date, field, weather, incorporation
- Fertilizer purchase invoices and application records by field
- The nutrient plan itself, showing the basis for each rate
The calculator prints a plan showing exactly how each rate was derived, which makes a reasonable record of the agronomic basis for your decision.
Related guides
Build your own nutrient plan
Enter your crop, yield goal and soil-test values and get nitrogen, phosphate and potash rates for your field — plus organic and synthetic options, costs, and local suppliers. Free, no sign-up, works offline.