They also provide regulatory authorities with a readily-determined, comparative indicator of environmental impact.
Overall, nutrient budgets help ensure that farming practices are conducted in an efficient, economic, and environmentally sustainable manner.
[citation needed] A nutrient budget isn't as exact as a financial statement.
For example, some areas may have had too much manure applied over time or it may have been unevenly distributed, and previous flooding could affect results.
Limits and assumptions should be incorporated when compiling a budget including the average nutrient removal coefficient values if they are not specific to a certain field.