Manure Applicator Certification

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, has scheduled manure applicator certification training for 2014

Using Engaged Teaching Methods to Help Livestock Producers Implement Emergency Spill Response

The use of engagement teaching and learning methods was employed as an alternative method to teach decision-making and implementing emergency spill response plans in contrast to traditional lecture. By offering participatory learning, producers can refine and hone decision-making skills, and measure responses against peers and an expert panel. Conversations become two-way and not traditional lecturer and listener. The attendees also have the chance to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow attendees. The implications are a better-prepared audience to deal with emergency response to manure spills and furthermore to protect surface waters

Dry Manure Applicator Certification Workshops Offered by Extension

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will offer manure applicator certification workshops for dry manure operators on seven different dates and locations in February. These workshops meet manure applicator certification requirements for both confinement site manure applicators and commercial manure applicators who primarily apply dry or solid manure

Educating Dairy and Beef Producers on Environmental Issues and Regulatory Concerns for Smaller Farms

Livestock producers in Iowa have seen a progression of regulations and compliance enforcement throughout the past two decades. Awareness through Extension meetings and information put out by commodity groups has played a substantial role in bringing confinement feeding operations and large CAFO feedlots into compliance. For small to medium-sized feedlots and dairies that may or may not be classified as CAFOs, the education and outreach was not formalized prior to the EPA beginning their recent compliance reviews. This issue surfaced because of EPA interpretation of regulations and the subsequent impact on livestock producers. The message from EPA was not well defined and still remains a challenge for livestock producers, extension personnel, and agribusiness (advisers) and agency staff

Summary of performance data for technologies to control gaseous, odor, and particulate emissions from livestock operations: Air management practices assessment tool (AMPAT)

The livestock and poultry production industry, regulatory agencies, and researchers lack a current, science-based guide and data base for evaluation of air quality mitigation technologies. Data collected from science-based review of mitigation technologies using practical, stakeholders-oriented evaluation criteria to identify knowledge gaps/needs and focuses for future research efforts on technologies and areas with the greatest impact potential is presented in the Literature Database tab on the air management practices tool (AMPAT). The AMPAT is web-based (available at www.agronext.iastate.edu/ampat) and provides an objective overview of mitigation practices best suited to address odor, gaseous, and particulate matter (PM) emissions at livestock operations. The data was compiled into Excel spreadsheets from a literature review of 265 papers was performed to (1) evaluate mitigation technologies performance for emissions of odor, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), particulate matter (PM), and greenhouse gases (GHGs) and to (2) inform future research needs. Keywords: Air pollution, Mitigation, Livestock production, Odor, Volatile organic compounds, Ammonia, Hydrogen sulfide, Greenhouse gases, Particulate matter, Manure, Literature revie