Ohio Admin. Code 901:10-1-06 - [Effective until 1/1/2025] Certified livestock manager

(A) Purpose and applicability.

(1) The management and handling of manure at a major concentrated animal feeding facility, shall be conducted by or under the supervision of a person that has a current livestock manager certification and that is reasonably available to the facility.

(2) No person who is a livestock manure broker shall buy, sell, or land apply annually more than four thousand five hundred dry tons of manure or more than twenty-five million gallons of liquid manure unless the person is a certified livestock manager.

(3) No person who is a livestock manure applicator shall land apply and transport annually more than four thousand five hundred dry tons of manure or more than twenty-five million gallons of liquid manure unless the person is a certified livestock manager.

(4) Any person subject to this rule who is either a livestock manure broker or a livestock manure applicator shall maintain an operating record on forms provided by the department and other forms selected by the livestock manure broker or livestock manure applicator and approved by the director. The operating record shall be retained for a minimum period of five years, shall be made available to the director upon request, and shall record and document in accordance with paragraph (B) of rule 901:10-2-16 of the Administrative Code.

(5) In order for a person to manage or handle manure at a major concentrated animal feeding facility or for a person to either transport and land apply manure or to, buy, sell or land apply annually more than four thousand five hundred dry tons of solid manure or more than twenty-five million gallons of liquid manure in this state, they shall obtain a livestock manager certification from the department. In the alternative, the person may present a certified copy of an equivalent and valid manure manager certification from another state, which has been verified by the director or his designated representative, together with the appropriate fee as listed in the fee rule.

(6) This rule does not apply to a person who is an owner or operator of a concentrated animal feeding facility permitted by the director in accordance with section 903.02 of the Revised Code or section 903.03 of the Revised Code, unless that person applies other manure from another animal feeding facility, concentrated animal feeding facility, or major concentrated animal feeding facility in excess of four thousand five hundred tons per year of solid manure or more than twenty-five million gallons of liquid manure per year.

(7) A person is considered to be under supervision of a certified livestock manager if the holder of the certification is reasonably available, but not necessarily physically present, during the management and handling of manure. The certified livestock manager cannot claim the lack of presence as a defense under Chapter 903. of the Revised Code.

(B) Application and certification procedures.

(1) In order to be a certified livestock manager, the applicant must meet the requirements in paragraphs (D)(1) to (D)(5) of this rule.

(2) The applicant for a livestock manager certification shall file an application on a form provided by the director. The application shall include but not be limited to: address and telephone number of the applicant; the results of the applicant's test results for any examination completed by the applicant as described in paragraphs (D)(1) to (D)(5) of this rule; and if applicable, the quantity of manure managed or handled by the applicant.

(3) All certifications issued shall expire on December thirty-first of the third year after the year in which the certificate was issued and each December thirty-first triennially thereafter, unless renewed in accordance with this rule. Any certification issued shall be valid for three years and thereafter be subject to renewal. A renewal shall be valid for three years.

(4) The department shall charge an appropriate fee as listed in the fee rule 901:10-1-04 of the Administrative Code for the issuance and renewal of a livestock manager certification.

(5) In order for a certification to be renewed, the holder must accumulate ten hours of continuing education credit over a three year period immediately preceding the date of application.

(C) Enforcement.

(1) The director may suspend, revoke or deny a livestock manager certification if the certified livestock manager:

(a) Engages in fraud or deceit in obtaining a certification; or

(b) Fails to exercise reasonable care, judgment or use of the manager's knowledge and ability in the performance of the duties of a certified livestock manager; or

(c) Is incompetent or otherwise unable to properly perform the duties of a certified livestock manager; or

(d) Has violated or caused to be violated any provision of rules of Chapter 903. of the Revised Code.

(2) If a livestock manager certification is suspended, the suspension shall be in effect for a period of not less than two hundred seventy days. After the required two hundred seventy days has passed and if there is substantial evidence that the conditions leading to the suspension have been corrected, the director may issue a certificate to reinstate the suspended livestock manager certification. A person may apply in writing for reinstatement. The petition must include any relevant facts concerning changes to conditions under which suspension or revocation occurred.

(3) If a livestock manager certification is revoked, the livestock manager has a right to a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(4) If a livestock manager certificate is denied, the livestock manager is entitled to a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(5) If a certified livestock manager fails to renew his certification within thirty days of its expiration, he or she must make application for certification and meet the requirements of paragraph (B) of this rule.

(6) Violations of section 903.07 of the Revised Code and division (E) of section 903.10 of the Revised Code and this rule will be considered to be category II and low gravity as set forth in rule 901:10-5-04 of the Administrative Code.

(D) Training and examination procedures.

(1) The department may offer a training program and an examination for a livestock manager certification. The applicant shall have knowledge of information on topics that include calculating nutrient values in manure, devising and implementing a plan for the land application of manure, removing manure held in a manure storage or treatment facility and following best management practices for disposal of dead animals and manure management, including practices that control odor and protect the environment. The applicant shall be expected to have knowledge of how to devise and implement a manure management plan and an insect and rodent control plan. In addition, the applicant shall understand the laws and rules related to animal feeding facilities.

(2) An applicant for a livestock manager certification shall pay a fee as required by rule 901:10-1-04 of the Administrative Code.

(3) The director may specify other types of recognized training programs that, if completed, are considered to satisfy the training and examination requirement.

(4) The director has determined that the following training and certification programs satisfy this rule:

(a) If an applicant for a livestock manager certification demonstrates that he or she has the knowledge of information of the topics set forth in paragraph (D)(1) of this rule and that he or she has completed the training provided in accordance with the "certified crop advisor" program conducted by the "American Society of Agronomy" and demonstrates that he or she has successfully passed the examination, then the applicant will be eligible for a certificate issued in accordance with this rule; or

(b) If the applicant for a livestock manager certificate demonstrates that he or she has the knowledge of the information of the topics set forth in paragraph (D)(1) of this rule and that he or she has completed the training and certification of the United States department of agriculture natural resource conservation service relating to being a certified planner to prepare comprehensive nutrient management plans, then the applicant will be eligible for a certificate issued in accordance with this rule.

(5) The department may cooperate with or enter into cooperative agreements with any official agency of the federal government, of this state or its subdivisions, or other academic or private institutions for the purpose of administration of the training and examination portions of Chapter 903. of the Revised Code.

(6) In accordance with section 903.20 of the Revised Code, the director may call upon the concentrated animal feeding facility advisory committee to assist in establishing the standards of training and examination.

(7) Training and examination opportunities will be provided at such times and places as determined by the department in consideration of the number and location of requests.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 901:10-1-06

Effective: 2/13/2021
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/25/2020 and 02/13/2025
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 903.08, 903.10
Rule Amplifies: 903.01, 903.02, 903.03, 903.07, 903.08, 903.081, 903.082, 903.09, 903.10
Prior Effective Dates: 07/02/2002, 09/15/2005, 01/23/2009, 06/08/2014