Soil sampling requirements in Maine

Q: How many soil samples does a 100-acre field need in Maine?

Under University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice: A uniform 100-acre field needs at least 13 composite samples of no more than 8 acres each, and at least 195 cores in all, 15 per sample.

State rules: Maine Revised Statutes Title 7, Chapter 747 (Nutrient Management Act). State guidance: University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice.

Soil sampling in Maine: frequency, area, depth and cores

How often do you need to soil sample in Maine?

Maine Nutrient Management Act, nutrient management plans (NMP) Conditional The statute sets no interval; it requires soil test results in the plan. Maine DACF guidance: soil and manure tests in the plan updated at least every 5 years, each field soil tested at least once every 5 years.
University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice Official guidance At least once every three years; more often for problem areas or heavy nutrient use.

When in the year should soil be sampled in Maine?

University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice Official guidance Early spring after the frost is out, or fall before the ground freezes.

How many acres can one soil sample cover in Maine?

University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice Official guidance Up to 8 acres per sample where past treatment and soil type are uniform. Separate samples for low spots, trouble spots, different soils and differently treated areas.

How deep should soil samples be taken in Maine?

University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice Official guidance Row crops or new seedings: plow depth, about 8 inches. Sod (hayfields, lawns): 3 to 4 inches. Tree crops: 12 inches.

How many cores go into one soil sample in Maine?

University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice Official guidance About 15 spots per sample area.

How many soil samples does a 100-acre field need in Maine?

University of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice: A uniform 100-acre field needs at least 13 composite samples of no more than 8 acres each, and at least 195 cores in all, 15 per sample.

Samples and cores for any field size

Soil sampling rules in Maine, with the exact wording of each source
Country / region	Purpose / programme	Time / frequency	Area per sample	Method	Depth	Cores	Status and source
United States
MaineUnited StatesMaine only. Other states set their own rules.	Soil tests in a nutrient management planMaine Nutrient Management Act, nutrient management plans (NMP)	Repeat The statute sets no interval; it requires soil test results in the plan. Maine DACF guidance: soil and manure tests in the plan updated at least every 5 years, each field soil tested at least once every 5 years.	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified	Conditional7 M.R.S. section 4204, Nutrient management plan (Maine Legislature)
Who it applies to, the exact wording and every source Who it applies to Farms that confine and feed 50 or more animal units at any one time, store or use more than 100 tons a year of manure not generated on the farm, are the subject of a verified complaint of improper manure handling, or store or use regulated residuals. Soil tests cover the land the plan designates for manure spreading or irrigation. In force from Under review Legal text Maine Revised Statutes Title 7, Chapter 747 (Nutrient Management Act), 7 M.R.S. section 4204, subsections 1-A(E) and 2 The wording in the source Timing Results of soil and manure tests and an analysis of any off-farm nutrients planned for growing crops. These tests must be updated at least every 5 years; Maine DACF Nutrient Management Plans brochure (guidance, not the statute), What are some components of an NMP? Each field should be soil tested at least once every 5 years to determine P, K, Mg, Ca and pH levels. Maine DACF Manure Utilization Guidelines (guidance, not the statute), item b, Soil test each field Who it applies to Results of soil tests for land designated in the plan for manure spreading or manure irrigation; 7 M.R.S. section 4204(1-A)(E) A farm that confines and feeds 50 or more animal units at any one time; 7 M.R.S. section 4204(2)(A) A farm that stores or utilizes more than 100 tons of manure per year not generated on that farm; 7 M.R.S. section 4204(2)(B) A farm that is the subject of a verified complaint of improper manure handling; or 7 M.R.S. section 4204(2)(C) A farm that stores or utilizes regulated residuals. 7 M.R.S. section 4204(2)(D) Sources 7 M.R.S. section 4204, Nutrient management plan (Maine Legislature) Law Maine DACF, Nutrient Management Plans brochure (February 2016) Guidance Maine DACF, Manure Utilization Guidelines (PDF) Guidance Sources re-checked every two months, last update October 2026. Reviewed by GeoPard editorial team.
MaineUnited StatesMaine only. Other states set their own rules.	Routine soil fertility samplingUniversity of Maine soil sampling instructions and Cooperative Extension advice	Repeat At least once every three years; more often for problem areas or heavy nutrient use Season Early spring after the frost is out, or fall before the ground freezes	Up to 8 acres per sample where past treatment and soil type are uniform. Separate samples for low spots, trouble spots, different soils and differently treated areas.	Uniform sampling areas; keep a permanent field sampling map.	Row crops or new seedings: plow depth, about 8 inches. Sod (hayfields, lawns): 3 to 4 inches. Tree crops: 12 inches.	About 15 spots per sample area	Official guidanceMaine Soil Testing Service, Field and Soil Sample Information form, sampling instructions (PDF)
Who it applies to, the exact wording and every source Who it applies to Advice for Maine fields from the University of Maine. Not law. Field identifiers Label each container with the sample area and last name, matching the field sampling map and the form. In force from Under review Legal text Maine Soil Testing Service, sampling instructions (Field and Soil Sample Information form, 2018), and UMaine Extension Bulletin 2286 The wording in the source Timing Test your soil at least once every three years. Bulletin 2286, How often should I test the soil? You may want to test more often if you have a problem area or if you’ve applied lots of nutrients. Bulletin 2286 you should test soil well before the growing season, such as in early spring after the frost is out of the soil, or in the fall before the ground freezes. Bulletin 2286, What time of year should I test my soil? Area per sample In areas where past treatments and soil types are uniform, limit the sampling area to 8 acres in size. Form, Instructions, 3 Areas of Sampling Low spots, trouble spots, and areas with obvious differences in soil type should be treated as separate sampling areas. Also, areas that have been treated differently in the past should be sampled separately. Form, Instructions, 3 Areas of Sampling Method Make a permanent field sampling map for your reference when test results are returned. Form, Instructions, 3 Areas of Sampling Low spots, trouble spots, and areas with obvious differences in soil type should be treated as separate sampling areas. Form, Instructions, 3 Areas of Sampling Depth Areas in sod, such as lawns or hayfields, should be sampled to a 3-or 4-inch depth. Areas under tree crops should be sampled to a 12-inch depth. Form, Instructions, Depth Areas to be planted to row crops or seeded down should be sampled to plow depth (or about 8 inches.) Form, Instructions, Depth Cores Take soil from approximately l5 different spots in the sample area. Form, Instructions, Take Representative Sample (the PDF prints "l5" with a lower-case L) Field identifiers The container from each sample area should be identified on the side with the identification of the sample area and your last name. Form, Instructions, 7 Label the Containers Be sure identifying names agree with your map of sample areas, so when test results are returned there will be no question of where the samples were taken. Form, Instructions, 7 Label the Containers Sources Maine Soil Testing Service, Field and Soil Sample Information form, sampling instructions (PDF) Guidance UMaine Extension Bulletin 2286, Know Your Soil: Testing Your Soil Guidance Sources re-checked every two months, last update October 2026. Reviewed by GeoPard editorial team.

United States: federal rules and every other state

Soil sampling regulations in every country

Report an outdated requirement: info@geopard.tech

Plan the points to the rule that applies

Set the area per sample, the cores and the depth your rule asks for. GeoPard places the points on a grid or by zone, routes the walk, prints the labels and takes the plan to the field on a phone.

Create a sampling plan See the Soil Sampling Planner

A planning reference built from official sources, not legal advice. Rules apply by jurisdiction, nutrient, land use and programme: check the current official text and your laboratory’s instructions before fieldwork.

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Soil sampling requirements in Maine

Soil sampling requirements in Maine

Soil sampling in Maine: frequency, area, depth and cores

How often do you need to soil sample in Maine?

When in the year should soil be sampled in Maine?

How many acres can one soil sample cover in Maine?

How deep should soil samples be taken in Maine?

How many cores go into one soil sample in Maine?

How many soil samples does a 100-acre field need in Maine?

The wording in the source

Timing

Who it applies to

Sources

The wording in the source

Timing

Area per sample

Method

Depth

Cores

Field identifiers

Sources

Plan the points to the rule that applies

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