Illinois to host Certified Livestock Manager Training sessions

Jan 07, 2016

Eight training workshops will be held

Livestock farmers in Illinois are encouraged to attend Certified Livestock Manager Training workshops that will take place in seven cities beginning Tuesday, February 9.

Using the manual for the national Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum, Illinois livestock farmers will receive the manure management training required to satisfy the state’s Livestock Management Facilities Act.

“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.”

Under the Livestock Management Facilities Act, facilities with 300 or more animals must have one employee certified in proper manure handling procedures; facilities with between 300 and 999 animals must have an employee attend a workshop or pass the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Certified Livestock Manager exam.

Facilities with more than 1,000 animals must attend a workshop and complete the Department of Agriculture’s exam.

The workshops are scheduled to take place:

February 9 - McLean County Extension Office, Bloomington, IL
February 10 - Effingham County Extension Office, Effingham, IL
February 11 - Clinton County Extension Office, Bresse, IL
February 16 - Illinois Pork Expo, Springfield IL
February 23 - Knox County Extension Office, Galesburg, IL
February 24 - Stephenson County Farm Bureau Bldg, Freeport, IL
February 25 - Dekalb County Farm Bureau Bldg, Sycamore IL
March 6 - Illinois Department of Agriculture, Springfield IL

For those unable to attend the workshop, five online quizzes are available to be taken. Successfully completing the quizzes can substitute for attending a workshop but doesn’t substitute for completing the Certified Livestock Manager exam.

Workshop registration can be done online or by contacting the University of Illinois Extension at (217) 244-9687. On the day of the workshops, registration opens at 8:30am and the training will start at 9:00am.

Video: Season 6, Episode 10: Defining Resiliency and the Research Driving Swine Health Forward

Genetic research and new technologies continue to influence the future of swine health and production efficiency. In this episode, we explore how research and technology are being used to support stronger, more resilient pigs, while also improving overall production outcomes. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger, geneticist with Topigs Norsvin, to discuss both routine and emerging strategies for improving piglet, pig, and sow livability. She outlines two primary approaches to enhancing resiliency: gene editing and traditional selective breeding. Continuing the resiliency conversation, we also hear from Dr. Lucina Galina, director of technical research projects at the Pig Improvement Company. She shares insights into ongoing gene-editing work focused on PRRS, detailing the pathway to success, regulatory and practical considerations, and the questions that still remain as the technology evolves. Together, these conversations provide a closer look at how research, genetics and innovation are shaping the future of swine health and livability.