The Greene County Extension Office will host an annual Commercial Manure Applicator training session next week.

Anyone who is certified or looking to be certified for the first time as a commercial manure applicator is required to attend the three hour training event which is mandated by the state of Iowa.

Greene County Extension Coordinator Michael Cooley says that in greene county there’s about 35 registered commercial manure applicators.  ISU Extension only offers commercial manure application.  They don’t have a private manure applicator training session available.  Cooley states all the rules and regulations for commercial manure applicators are handled by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

“Commercial manure application training is actually at no charge by state law.  And so we make that a public service.  Again, Iowa law code mandates that ISU Extension be the partner that delivers that training.”

Cooley expresses that during these training sessions, the commercial applicators are educated on the latest safety measures and environmental considerations when applying manure.

The actual training session for commercial manure application is offered twice a year to be certified for the first time or to be re-certified.  The session is on January 4th from 9-noon at the ISU Extension Office.  If you can’t make the training session, then a re-show will be offered by the extension office on February 22nd.  Both the January 4th workshop and the re-show on February 22nd are free, otherwise there will be a fee if you choose to take the training on a different day.  Cooley urges for you to pre-register for the workshop just to ensure a seat.  To register, contact the Greene County Extension Office at 386-2138.