Confinement Site Manure Applicator Workshops
US - Confinement site manure applicators and anyone interested in learning about applying manure should plan to attend one of the 2010 two-hour workshops being offered in January and February by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension.
1 December 2009
2 minute read
“Iowa law requires confinement site manure applicators to attend two hours of continuing education each year of their three-year certification period, or take and pass an exam once every three years,” said Angela Rieck-Hinz, ISU Extension programme specialist and coordinator of the manure applicator certification programme.
A total of 66 confinement site applicator workshops will be held in 59 Iowa counties. In addition, a series of five dry manure certification meetings will be held in February. ISU Extension county offices have a complete list of workshop dates and locations, or view a list here.
Workshop participants will learn about land application rules, separation distances for land application of manure, newly proposed rules regarding winter application of manure on snow-covered and frozen ground, and case studies regarding manure spills. This is the twelfth year that ISU Extension has offered the training in cooperation with Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
The workshop serves as initial certification for those applicators that are not currently certified, recertification for those renewing licenses, and continuing education for those applicators in their second or third year of their license. If a confinement livestock operation has more than 500 animal units the operator must be certified to apply manure unless the manure is applied by a commercial manure applicator. The certification fee is $100 for a three-year certificate. Confinement site applicators must also pay the $25 annual education fee. All fees are submitted to Iowa DNR. There are no fees to attend the workshops.
Due to uniform certification deadlines, applicators are encouraged to attend workshops prior to March 1 to avoid being assessed a late fee of $12.50. Training video tapes are available for viewing by contacting an ISU Extension county office and scheduling a viewing time. Applicators renewing their license cannot apply manure until they have met the certification requirements and submitted the correct forms and fees to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. If applicators can’t attend the training workshops, they can take the certification exam at their DNR regional field office to complete certification requirements.
Contact your ISU Extension county office for more information about the Manure Applicator Certification Programme or visit: http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/mac.html.
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