January 11, 2013

UNL Extension workshops will be hosted at eight sites across the state in February to provide livestock and crop producers with information on how to turn manure nutrients into better crop yields while protecting the environment.

Re-certification will be during the first two hours of the day-long Land Application Training program.

Dates, times and locations include:

• Feb. 4 – 9 a.m., West Point, Courthouse, 200 S. Lincoln St.
• Feb. 4 – 9 a.m., York, UNL Extension Office, 2345 Nebraska Ave.
• Feb. 5 – 9 a.m., Lexington, UNL Extension Office, 1002 Plum Creek Parkway 
• Feb. 5 – 9 a.m., Scottsbluff, Boardroom, UNL Extension Office, 4502 Avenue I
• Feb. 6 – 9 a.m., Burwell, Courtroom, 250 South 8th Ave.
• Feb. 8 – 9 a.m., Concord, UNL Haskell Ag lab, 57905 866 Rd.
• Feb. 12 – 9 a.m., Ainsworth, UNL Extension Office, 148 West Fourth
• Feb. 12 – 9 a.m., Schuyler, UNL Extension Office, 466 Road 10

Livestock producers with livestock waste control facility permits received or renewed since April 1998 must be certified. A farm must complete an approved training every five years, and farm personnel responsible for land application of manure are also encouraged to attend.

The workshops will help livestock producers put to use the nutrient management planning requirements of Nebraska's Department of Environmental Quality regulations and increase the economic value of manure, said Leslie Johnson, UNL AMM coordinator. Participants who attend the day-long event will receive NDEQ Land Application Training Certification.

This in-depth, one-day class targets newly permitted livestock operations. Operations that have already attended this initial training, but will need re-certification, may attend the morning portion of the training.

Attendance during the morning of one of the Land Application Training workshops will fulfill NDEQ requirements for re-certification of producers who have completed the initial land application training five or more years ago.

This portion of the workshops will consist of a two-hour program including updates on changing regulations and emerging manure management topics, such as winter manure application, managing liquid storages, how the 2012 drought impacts nutrient management, and the manure value calculator spreadsheet that was released in 2012. Farm staff responsible for implementing the farm's nutrient plan are also encouraged to attend.

Pre-registration is required for all workshops. A $50 fee per farm (includes one farm representative) will be charged for the day-long Land Application Training workshops plus a $10 fee for each additional participant to cover local costs including lunch.

The Land Application Training Re-certification portion of the workshop is $10 for each participant.

These workshops are sponsored by the UNL Extension Animal Manure Management Team which is dedicated to helping livestock and crop producers better utilize our state's manure resources for agronomic and environmental benefits.

For additional information on these workshops and other resources for managing manure nutrients, visit http://manure.unl.edu or contact Johnson at 402-584-3818, email ljohnson13@unl.edu.