Certification Training for Operators of
Animal Waste Management Systems

Karl Shaffer
Soil Science Department- North Carolina State University

Dr. David Crouse, Ron Sheffield

A proper waste management plan and waste application system are vital parts of a modern confined animal operation. If waste from animal operations is not properly managed, it can have many negative impacts on the overall farming operation as well as the community and environment. The negative consequences of a poorly managed waste application system can cost in terms of dollars, loss of land values, impaired environmental quality, and loss of good standing in the community.

The North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation in 1995 and 1996 requiring certification of operators of animal waste management systems for farms that have over 250 swine, 100 confined cattle, 75 horses, 1000 sheep, or 30,000 poultry with a liquid waste management system. The purpose of the law is to reduce non-point source pollution from the confinement of animals.

To become a certified operator for an animal waste management system, an individual must be 18 years old, complete an approved training course on the operation of animal waste management systems, pass an appropriate examination, and pay the required fees. Maintaining certification requires an annual fee of $10 and either proof of completion of 6 hours of acceptable continuing education every three years or re-examination.

The North Carolina Division of Water Quality, through its Technical Assistance and Certification Unit, was delegated the responsibility to manage the certification database and examination. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service was delegated the responsibility to develop and implement the training program. The June 1995 law had a December 31, 1996 compliance date and was exclusive to swine farmers. The July 1996 law included the other types of animal operations, with a December 31, 1997 compliance date. In all, over 4,500 animal waste management systems in North Carolina require a certified animal waste management system operator.

The Cooperative Extension Service solicited input from a variety of public and private entities to develop the training program. Expertise and guidance was provided from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA), North Carolina State University, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and representatives from the pork, poultry, beef, and dairy industries. Available information from other state programs was incorporated as well. The goal of this all-encompassing group was to develop a thorough training program on animal waste management that could be easily and effectively administered to a large volume of farmers in a short time span to meet the legislative mandate.

The product of this committee was a training manual and program for each of the 2 different classified types of animal waste management systems. Type A systems are for swine and poultry (liquid systems) operations and Type B covers dairy, beef, equine, and sheep systems. A trainer's manual was developed to assist the individuals involved in delivering the program to the farmers. This manual is complete with review questions, example problems, an example exam, and a set of slides and overheads to conduct the training.

To implement the program, approximately 100 individuals with livestock, waste management, and agronomic experience from the Cooperative Extension Service, Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and integrator waste management specialists were assembled and trained as "trainers." Each of these individuals was given the trainers manual with a slide/overhead set, some basic refresher information and rule updates, and instructions on how best to administer the course. This group then held individual training sessions throughout the state to groups of 25 to 40 farmers. Using the training manual and educational materials developed by the large committee, the training program was consistent at each location.

The training manual is started with a section entitled the "Needs to Know." This is a list of training objectives that each course participant should master to become a certified operator.

The manual is divided into 8 chapters with the following titles:

1. Why Are We Here?
2. System Components and Operation
3. Waste Management Plans
4. Tools For The Plan
5. Proper Application of Waste Products
6. Record Keeping
7. Safety and Emergency Action Plans
8. Consequences of Improper Management

The first four chapters supply the necessary background information for Chapter 5, which details proper waste application through scheduling, equipment calibration, and the appropriate calculations to insure that agronomic nutrient application rates are not exceeded. The remainder of the manual focuses on regulatory requirements that cover management of an animal waste system.

The manual format consists of a three-ring binder, with the 8 chapters followed by several appendices offering additional information and resources to the waste system operators. The manual also offers a section to retain necessary paperwork for the waste management system such as the certified waste management plan, emergency action plan, soil and waste sample records, equipment calibration worksheets, and waste application records.

The training course takes 10 hours to complete. The individual receives a certificate of completion, which is required to take the certification exam. The exam consists of 50 questions and is offered at 6 locations across the state at 3-month intervals. To date, approximately 240 individual training sessions have been conducted to over 6,000 farmers. About 90 percent of the individuals who have taken the exam have passed.

The farmers, the state's regulatory agency, and the citizens, neighbors, and environmental interests in North Carolina have accepted the certification program very well. The response from individuals completing the course is that they felt the course was thorough and concise, and very helpful in assisting with the day to day management of the waste management systems. Most participants agreed that the training manual was a resource that would be very useful as a reference, and a convenient place to maintain appropriate documentation concerning the management of their waste management system.

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