Certified Livestock Manager Training

New Format for 2021

Certified Livestock Manager Training 2021 will be different from past due to COVID-19 impacts. Illinois Department of Agriculture has approved two options this year:

  1. Online training (new)
  2. Webinars

Online Training

Updated for 2021, this should be considered the first option for everyone. Available at any time and your own pace. Completion requirements: For less than 1,000 AU, work through the training only. More than 1,000 AU requires completing the training and passing the a 40-question online test (in lieu of the IDoA’s paper based test). The online test will be available until December 1, 2021. You can create an account and register for the online training using the link below ($40). 

View the new Online Certified Livestock Manager Training.

Webinars

Four webinars (virtual workshops) will be offered. These will have the same format as previous workshops. Registration is required ($40). You must attend the whole webinar (about 4 hours) to be eligible for your certificate and attendance will be checked through the Zoom reports. Those with over 1,000 AU will be required to login and take the 40-question online test in lieu of the IDoA’s paper-based test. A password for accessing the test site will be sent after attending the webinar.

Webinar dates and registration information are outlined below.

  1. January 20, 2021 Wednesday @ 9 am (register here)
  2. January 29, 2021 Friday @ 9 am (register here)
  3. February 9, 2021 Tuesday @ 9 am (register here)
  4. March 4, 2021 Thursday @ 9 am (register here)

For questions with registration, please contact University of Illinois Extension at (815) 858-2273. All webinars will start at 9 am. You are encouraged to sign in 10 minutes early to make sure your connection and audio are working properly. The content for the webinars is the same. Please pick-up the day that works best for you.

Please note that due to increased health restrictions, we had to cancel our face-to-face workshops this year. If the COVID situation gets better, we will spend any effort to organize face-to-face workshops, but currently, we can only offer online training and webinars. Please check our website or Twitter account for updates. 

Information Sessions

We will hold three optional information sessions. You are welcome to attend one if you have a question or want to learn how to navigate the online training website. No registration is required. 

  1. December 14, 2020 Monday @ 6 pm (click here to join)
  2. January 11, 2021 Monday @ 6 pm (click here to join)
  3. February 23, 2021 Tuesday @ 6 pm (click here to join)

The content for the information sessions is the same. Please pick-up the day that works best for you. 

Useful Links

History of the Certification

The Illinois General Assembly passed the Livestock Management Facilities Act (LMFA) on May 21, 1996. Since that law was enacted, livestock facilities in Illinois that house over 300 animal units (for example, 750 finishing hogs, 214 dairy cows, or 300 beef cattle) are required to have at least one person certified in the environmental protection aspects of manure management. The "Certified Livestock Manager" is expected to be to be a full-time employee familiar with the manure management system of the facility, accessible by phone, and located within one-hour driving distance to the farm. Young farmers (<18 years old) are welcome to take the training but they cannot be the only certified manager at their facilities.  

The certificate, administered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, is valid for three years. University of Illinois Extension acts as the subcontractor to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, to provide the CLM training required by the LMFA and to develop resource materials that support the training program.

  • ˂300 animal units →no training required but encouraged
  • ≥300 and <1,000 animal units → training required
  • ≥1,000 animal units → training + passing test required

Learn More