The bureau of Environmental Programs at the Illinois Department of Agriculture has announced seven cities will host Certified Livestock Manager Training workshops. The workshops provide Illinois livestock producers the manure management training they need to meet the requirements of the state's Livestock Management Facilities Act.

Workshops will be held throughout February and early March at the following sites:

• Feb. 9, Bloomington: McLean County Extension Office

• Feb. 10, Effingham: Effingham County Extension Office

• Feb. 11, Breese: Clinton County Extension Office

• Feb. 16, Springfield: Illinois Pork Expo, Prairie Capital Convention Center

February workshops offer livestock folks plenty of chances to become certified livestock managers. (Thinkstock/Jacqueline Nix)

• Feb. 23, Galesburg: Knox County Extension Office

• Feb. 24, Freeport: Stephenson County Farm Bureau Building

• Feb. 25, Sycamore: DeKalb County Farm Bureau Building

• March 6, Springfield: Illinois Department of Agriculture

On the day of the workshop, registration will open at 8:30 a.m. with the training program starting promptly at 9 a.m.

"The livestock farming is vital to the state's agriculture industry, and thus the state's economy," said John Teefey, bureau chief of IDOA Environmental Programs. "Livestock farmers have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land. The Livestock Management Facilities Act is designed to ensure that farmers have the opportunity to succeed in a rapidly changing livestock industry while still protecting our environment and the surrounding communities."

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The Livestock Management Facilities Act requires:

• Facilities with 300 or more animal units to have at least one employee certified in proper manure handling procedures.

• Facilities with 300 to 999 animal units, the employee either must attend a workshop or pass the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Certified Livestock Manager exam.

• Employee of facilities with more than 1,000 or more units must do both to achieve certification.

To register for a workshop, call the University of Illinois Extension at (217) 244-9687 or go online to www.livestocktraining.com/register. The cost is $30. If more than one employee from the same farm signs-up, each registration after the first will cost $20.

The workshops will use the instructional manual for the national Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum, which can be purchased at the time of registration for $67.50, including shipping and handling. The manual can also be purchased on compact disc for $32.50. The curriculum is available for free online at the Extension's livestock training website. Please note, if you have a manual or CD from 2003 or newer, you will not need to purchase a new one.

Employees also have the option of taking five online quizzes. Passing them is the equivalent of having attended a workshop, but does not substitute for passing the Certified Livestock Manager exam. There is no charge to take the quiz online, other than the cost of the manual. Register for the web program option online.

Any questions relating to the online program can be directed to Morgan Hayes at (217) 244-8179.