Certification Information

Image of farmers and a manure spreader truck, setting up for a spreader calibration run.

Notes, Descriptions and Fees

Swine producers must complete the Swine certification training program. If the swine grower has more than one animal species (for instance, swine and poultry or swine and dairy), the swine certification will serve for all species. Since the swine program focuses more on liquid animal manure management, growers also raising poultry are encouraged (but not required) to attend a portion of the Poultry program or a continuing education program covering litter management. All swine growers are required to pass an exam administered at the end of the class with a score of 70 or higher.

Poultry producers completing the Poultry certification training program will also be deemed certified for dairy production, but due to the focus on litter management the growers also operating a dairy will be encouraged (but not required) to attend a portion of the Swine or Dairy certification program or a continuing education program covering liquid animal manure management. Likewise, growers that have both species and have completed the Dairy program be encouraged (but not required) to attend a portion of the Poultry certification program or a continuing education program covering litter management. Dairy or Poultry certification will not certify the grower to grow swine. An exam is administered at the end of the Poultry and Dairy trainings.

Dairy producers are encouraged to attend a Swine certification training, since liquid manure handling is covered in that training (and there are not enough uncertified dairy producers remaining to justify a dairy training). Completing the Poultry certification training program instead will also fulfill the training requirements for dairy producers, but due to the focus on litter management, the growers will be encouraged (but not required) to attend a continuing education program covering liquid animal manure management.

The cost of the full day training is $150 per person, which includes manual, lunch and breaks.  These registration fees are used to fund the Confined Animal Manure Managers program and are the sole source of funding for the program. The fees cover development and printing of the manuals, presentation equipment, and travel for the instructors.

A Continuing Education requirement of 10 hours of training every 5 years is required to maintain certification. Opportunities will be provided during various annual meetings and field days around the State, as well as at many local county meetings. There is a charge of $15 per hour for these credits to cover instructor travel and handouts (the CAMM program is completely funded by registration fees - no other funding has been provided by the State). The third 5-year period for all animal species began on July 1, 2015 and will end on June 30, 2020, regardless of when the operator was trained. Operators trained after July 1, 2015 will be credited with 2 hours for each year between their training date and the July 1, 2015 starting date. For instance, a person trained in March, 2016 will be credited with 2 hours and be required to obtain an additional 8 hours by the June 30, 2020 ending date.

Training Notification Mailing List

If you would like to attend a Confined Animal Manure Managers training we will be glad to add your name to our mailing list. We will mail a notice to you when planning for the next training is completed, providing time, date, location, and directions. You may call Bryan Smith at 864-984-2514 ext. 112, e-mail your address information to Bryan Smith, or click here to submit your address on-line (this link will take you to a Google Docs form).