Certified livestock manager training announced
The Illinois General Assembly passed the Livestock Management Facilities Act (LMFA) on May 21, 1996. Since that law was enacted, livestock facilities in Illinois that house over 300 animal units (for example, 750 finishing hogs, 214 dairy cows, or 300 beef cattle) are required to have at least one person certified in the environmental protection aspects of manure management. The "Certified Livestock Manager" is expected to be familiar with the facility's manure management system. The certificate, administered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, is valid for three years.
University of Illinois Extension acts as the subcontractor to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, to provide the CLM training required by the LMFA and to develop resource materials that support the training program.
Who Needs Certification?
In Illinois, livestock producers with more than 300 animal units must be trained and certified in manure handling procedures. There are two levels of CLM certification, depending on facility capacity. The following table shows which training and testing requirements apply, based on facility size.
Extension Certification Options
Attend a Workshop: There are two opportunities to complete the U of I Extension CLM training for certification. CLMT workshops are offered every winter, including this winter in February and March. If you cannot make a workshop or need certification in the off-season, there are online training modules that will meet CLM certification requirements.
Workshops are held around the state each winter. On the day of the workshop, registration opens at 8:30 a.m. with the training program starting promptly at 9:00 a.m.
A range of topics related to the operation, management, and utilization of livestock waste and waste facilities will be covered. Additionally, the latest regulations, best management practices, and research for manure-related issues will be discussed.
Registration for this winter's workshops will open in fall 2016.
To see the training schedule and register online for a workshop, use this link. If you would prefer to register by phone please call 217-244-9687.
Complete Online Training Modules: University of Illinois Extension also offers free online training modules. These modules can be taken in place of attending a workshop. There are five training modules - four have a short 20-question quiz at the end. All four quizzes must be passed to meet CLM Certification requirements. The module content and quizzes are based on material from CLM Training Manual (see below). You can access the online CLM training modules directly by using the Online Training Registration link below. Keep in mind that these quizzes DO NOT take the place of the Illinois Department of Agriculture Exam for Producers over 1000 animal units, but they DO satisfy the workshop requirements.
Training Resources
The current training manual used for Certified Livestock Manager Training is the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum. This curriculum is available for free online
here. If you would prefer to purchase a hard copy or an electronic CD contact University of Illinois, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, Marketing & Distribution at 1-800-345-6087. If you have a manual or CD, 2003 or newer, you will not need to purchase a new one.
