Fall 2001
Changes in manure applicator program
by Karen Grimes, Department of Natural Resources
Three major changes in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Manure Applicator Certification program went into effect on July 1, 2001. Commercial applicators and confinement site applicators need to be aware of how these changes will affect the certification program and their training needs in the future.
Universal expiration date. Starting July 1, 2001, a universal expiration date of December 31 kicked in for all manure applicator certificates. Commercial applicators whose certificates started expiring on July 1, 2001, can expect to be extended to December 31, 2001, if they have completed their 3 hours of annual training. There will be no charge for this extension and the applicator should receive a new certificate in the mail. Those who have not completed their annual training should complete the required 3 hours of annual training before their certificate expires. Commercial applicators whose certificates expire this year should not send money, but they can send in their application forms marked “for training verification only.” Current commercial applicators whose certificates expire between January 1 and June 30, 2002, will pay a reduced fee of $25 next spring and be extended to December 31, 2002. This fee reduction will give them the same kind of financial break that the other commercial applicators are getting this year.
Private or confinement site applicators who have a 3-year certificate will automatically be extended to December 31 of the year that their certificate expires. For the majority of confinement site applicators, this date will be December 31, 2002. Confinement site applicators still need to complete their annual 2 hours of training or pass a test at the end of the 3-year period.
Grace period. Another change in the program provides for a 2-month grace period after the expiration date. This grace period means that commercial and confinement site applicators can still legally apply manure until March 1 following the expiration of their certificates on December 31, but they must complete their training or test, and send in the application and fee postmarked by March 1.
Commercial applicators should plan to attend the satellite downlink training on January 8, 2002, to qualify for their 2002 certificate. They can contact their local Iowa State University Extension office to determine the nearest training location. Specific dates for confinement site training will be listed in the Winter 2002 issue of this newsletter.
Family farm fee exemption. Another change in state rules allows members of the same farm family to be eligible for free confinement site applicator certificates.
Confinement site applicators who farm the same agricultural operation with a spouse, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, or sibling can qualify for a free certificate, provided one member of the family has a paid certificate. The person who applies for the free certificate must apply within a year of when the paid member was certified and complete annual training or pass a test once every 3 years.
Other rule changes mean that producers who lose their certificates can expect to pay a $15 fee for a duplicate certificate. There also will be a late fee of $12.50 for any renewal applications postmarked after March 1.
