2023 Certified Livestock Manager workshops, online training announced

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Agriculture, along with University of Illinois Extension, is hosting its annual Certified Livestock Manager Training.

There will be two training options for this year: eight in-person workshops and online training, which will provide Illinois livestock producers the manure management training they need to meet the requirements of the state’s Livestock Management Facilities Act.

To attend an in-person workshop, registration is required at go.illinois.edu/CLMT. Class size is limited in some locations.

The 2023 workshop dates and locations are:

• Feb. 7 — Bank of Springfield Center, Springfield.

• Feb. 8 — Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Building, Monmouth.

• Feb. 9 — DeKalb County Farm Bureau Building, Sycamore.

• Feb. 10 — Stephenson County Farm Bureau Building, Freeport.

• Feb. 21 — Effingham County U of I Extension Office, Effingham.

• Feb. 22 — Clinton County U of I Extension Office, Breese.

• Feb. 23 — Pike County Farm Bureau Building, Pittsfield.

• Feb. 24 — IDOA Building auditorium, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield.

The workshops will begin at 9 a.m. The training lasts three hours, and after the workshop, those with over 1,000 animal units will be required to take an exam.

The training manual used will be the “Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum.” It is available at go.illinois.edu/manual.

Producers also have the option of taking online training that consists of nine modules of 10- to 20-minute videos that can be viewed at an individual’s own pace.

The videos were all updated last year. The online training can be accessed at go.illinois.edu/CLMT.

Producers who prefer to complete the online training will have access to optional videos of enrichment content for three months.

Those who have more than 1,000 animal units may take the online exam, which will remain available year-round. Multiple attempts on the online exam are allowed.

Producers with less than 1,000 animal units will work through the lessons only. Having more than 1,000 animal units requires completing the lessons and passing the online exam, which also will be available in Spanish.

The certification for the 2023 season will be 50 questions on both the paper-based and online exams. An individual must answer 70% of the questions correctly to pass.

U of I Extension’s in-person or online training fee is $40 and IDOA’s certification fee is $30, for a total of $70.

Any questions relating to the CLMT program can be directed to U of I Extension at 815-235-4125 or Stanley Solomon at jssolomon@illinois.edu.

“This partnership between IDOA and the University of Illinois Extension provides the tools, education and training for our state’s certified livestock managers to become skilled in best management practices,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II. “The goal is for our livestock facilities to be good neighbors and stewards of the land.”

The Livestock Management Facilities Act of 1997 requires facilities with 300 or more animal units to have at least one employee certified in proper manure handling procedures.

For facilities with 300 to 999 animal units, the employee either must complete online CLM training or workshop or pass the IDOA’s Certified Livestock Manager online exam.

The employee of facilities with more than 1,000 or more units must complete one of the training options and pass the Certified Livestock Manager online exam to achieve certification.

The “Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum” continues to serve as a resource manual for CLM training.

The manual provides more depth and additional topics than can be covered in a workshop or online training.