New Ways to Meet CAFO Continuing Education Requirements

New ways to get continuing education training

What are the continuing education requirements?

As of October 2006, a minimum of 12 hours of initial training and 6 hours of annual refresher training are required for CAFO operators. Proof of continuing education session attendance must be submitted each year with the annual CAFO re-registration. Deadlines for obtaining and submitting proof of training credits may be extended by ADEM on a programmatic, commodity type, or individual facility basis if the scheduling or availability of training opportunities is significantly restricted due to bio-security concerns, natural disaster, etc.

A CAFO operator choosing not to attend and document the required continuing education training must submit, in addition to any required application fee, a substantial “Greenfield” fee with the initial registration application and with each following annual re-registration application that is submitted without meeting the continuing education requirements. In those cases, ADEM will schedule a comprehensive on-site facility evaluation as part of approval of the registration or reregistration request.

Who provides continuing education training?

Operators or organizations who wish to arrange training that will count toward the ADEM-required CAFO continuing education credits (CCECs) are encouraged to call the AFO/CAFO training coordinator, Extension’s Biosystems Engineering Department, at Auburn University (334) 844-4181 or e-mail daubecc@auburn.edu for additional information and assistance. AFO/CAFO training events are publicized through Extension and NRCS offices, generally with the assistance of sponsoring organizations and their newsletter/magazine, etc., and on the AAWM continuing education Web site.

How do I know how many CCECs a particular training class or event qualifies for?

It is the CAFO operator’s responsibility to ensure that the topic and direct contact time qualify for CAFO training credit and to retain documentation of completed training. If you have questions regarding whether a training topic qualifies partially or fully for credit, contact the AFO/CAFO training coordinator, Extension Biosystems Engineering Department, Auburn University, at (334) 844-4181 or by e-mail at daubecc@auburn.edu.

How do I get credit for attendance?

The ADEM-recognized AFO/CAFO “Certification of Training” certificate will be issued and mailed or otherwise made available within two weeks after the event to the requesting CAFO or AFO operator for every approved training event as described above when the necessary information is provided to the Extension AFO/CAFO training coordinator. The certificates will show the training event subject and credit hours awarded. The CAFO operator should bring the original certificates when registering or during the annual re-registration visit so copies can be retained in the local SWCD file.

CCEC credits are based on direct contact time between the operator and the trainer/professional covering approved topics and not the meeting length. Time spent by an agency professional assisting the operator in responding to an ADEM enforcement action is not eligible as CCEC credit.

If needed, duplicate CCEC records can be obtained for training coordinated through the ACES AFO/CAFO training coordinator. If training is not coordinated through the ACES AFO/CAFO training coordinator, the operator should contact the individual conducting the ADEM-approved training to ensure that duplicate records will be made available if needed.

For individual training, the CAFO operator can satisfy the documentation requirement by retaining one of the following:

• Completed copy of the ACES /AU Form R-10 Recording Alabama AFO/CAFO Resource Agency On-Farm Visits for AFO/CAFO Continuing Education.

• Letter from the cooperating resource agency documenting who was trained (operator name and CAFO registration number), the approved training subject, the length (direct contact time), date and time of training session, and name of the approved instructor or sponsoring organization.

• Letter from an ADEM recognized group/organization documenting direct individual participation time in ADEM accepted watershed meetings, nonpoint source projects, watershed improvement/protection, etc.

• ADEM-approved AFO/CAFO “Certification of Training” certificate documenting the completion of any Extension Internet online animal waste management training course (including WebCT Certified Animal Waste Vendor [CAWV] training).

It is a significant violation of the ADEM AFO/CAFO rules if a CAFO Operator does not obtain and submit certification of the initial and annual training/education or pay the additive “Greenfield” fee.

What kind of training is offered?

Topics covered may include many of the following:

• General Best Management Practices (BMPs)

• Good “housekeeping” recommendations

• NRCS technical standards and guidelines

• ACES and NRCS recommendations

• Emergency and natural disaster management plans

• Waste Management System Plan (WMSP) preparation, construction, and implementation

• Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) training

• Qualified Credentialed Professional (QCP) certification

• Compliance with applicable state and federal environmental regulations

• CAFO registration

• ADEM inspections, compliance action, and potential monetary penalties

• Other ADEM topics affecting animal agriculture or environmental quality such as water quality standards, watershed total maximum daily loads (TMDLS ), CWA Section 303d listing, nonpoint source management projects, etc.

• ADAI requirements/guidelines including biosecurity

• Certified Animal Waste Vendor (CAWV) program

• Applicable AFO/CAFO buffers/setbacks

• Land application requirements and restrictions

• ADEM /National Weather Service “Forecast” and “Farmer’s Weather Map”

• Facility self-inspection, annual QCP evaluation, 5-year PE evaluation requirements

• Odor management/minimization

• Water well siting, construction, and maintenance standards

• Liquid-waste confinement building and structure site preparation and construction standards

• Spill prevention control and countermeasures (SPCC)

• Surface water and groundwater protection; evaluation and sampling, if needed

• Comprehensive waste and wastewater system management and land application

• Nutrient budgeting

• Dead animal disposal, composter, freezer, and incinerator siting and management

• Emergency animal mortality burial approval

• New and innovative alternative technologies

• Necessary record keeping requirements

• Response to emergency situations (power failure, system failure, unpermitted discharge, etc.) and natural disasters

• Pollution prevention

• ADEM NPDES construction storm water registration and BMP requirements for construction disturbances 1 acre and larger

• Other topics consistent with the AFO/CAFO program acceptable to ADEM or the ACES training coordinator

If you have any other topics that you would like to request to be added to the above list, to request a copy of training records for training coordinated by the Extension AFO/CAFO training coordinator, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding the CAFO Continuing Education program, contact:

NOTE : The information in this publication was approved by Richard Hulcher, Chief, Mining & Non-Point Section, Field Operations Division, ADEM , January and October 2006.

Ted W. Tyson, Extension Biosystems Engineer, Professor, and Charles C. Mitchell, Extension Soil Scientist, Professor, both at Auburn University.

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.