A list of 2012 Manure Applicator Certification Training dates is available for Iowa livestock producers and manure management professionals. Producers with more than 500 animal units in confinement must meet manure applicator certification requirements to land-apply manure coming from these facilities in Iowa, according to the Iowa Manure Management Action Group (IMMAG).
Producers need to become certified if they have more than 500 head of beef cattle, 357 head of mature dairy cows, 1,250 finishing hogs or the equivalent numbers of poultry in confinement housing.
Manure applicator certification requirements do not apply to producers with 500 or less animal units in confinement, or those with an open feedlot.
Certification is accomplished through one of two methods: by attending the required two hours of annual training at a local county extension office, or by making an appointment at the local Department of Natural Resources field office to take a certification exam. A list of 2012 training dates offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is available at http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/certification/confdates.html. For more information, contact a county Extension office in Iowa or visit the Manure Applicator Certification Web page at http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/mac.html.