Livestock producers with livestock waste control facility permits received or renewed since April 1998 must be certified, and farms must complete an approved training every five years. Participants who attend the day-long (9 am – 3:30 pm) event will receive NDEE Initial Land Application Training Certification. In many locations Recertification will be held during the last two and a half hours of the day-long land application training. Other locations are holding the Recertification training as a separate event. Farm personnel responsible for land application of manure are encouraged to attend for either training. Discounts for multiple employee attendance are available.

Land Application Training events are coming up in February. Several new hands-on activities will focus on using weather forecasts to minimize manure application odors, considering where to stockpile manure prior to land application, selecting the “best” routes for hauling manure to fields and defining who is responsible for manure under various scenarios.

Abandoned manure storages present a risk to the environment by accidental overflow or leakage due to lack of management. It is in the best interest of the environment and the property owner, who is liable for any environmental damage resulting from any discharge, whether leakage or overflow, to properly close any unused manure storage structure.

The workshops and online course are designed to help farmers increase the economic value of manure and to understand and implement the nutrient management planning requirements of Nebraska’s Department of Environmental Quality regulations. Topics covered include: updates on manure management regulations, value of manure as a fertilizer and soil amendment, biosecurity on livestock operations, and more. Anyone currently using manure or considering adding manure to their cropping system fertility program is encouraged to participate.

Farmers and ranchers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of soil quality/health to the productivity and sustainability of their agricultural system. Research and field observations have demonstrated that carefully managed manure applications can contribute to improved soil quality with limited environmental and social risks. However, a comprehensive assemblage of outputs and conclusions from research studies, field trials, soil labs databases, and other sources has never been developed.