There are three qualifications for those seeking certification.
They are education, experience and passing both parts of the Virginia Nutrient
Management
Examination.
With a college degree in an agriculture-related major, applicants need one
year of job related experience dealing with the practical application of nutrient
management. In lieu of such a college degree, applicants will need to show
a combination of education to include nutrient management related
courses or training and a minimum of three years of job-related experience
dealing with the practical application of nutrient management. The application
fee is $100, which covers the first two years of certification once the exam
is passed.
Certificates are good for two years from the date the certificate is issued. During that two year period, planners must accumulate at least four department approved continuing education credits and write at least one nutrient management plan to meet the requirements for re-certification. If a planner writes no plans in that two year period, at least four additional continuing education credits are required. The re-certification fee is $100 and is good for two years. (Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits cannot be used for Virginia Nutrient Management continuing education credits.)
If you have any questions about writing nutrient management plans or wish to apply to become a Virginia Nutrient Management Planner, contact Nutrient Management Certification and Training Coordinator Emily Aleshire, (804) 371-8095, email emily.aleshire@dcr.virginia.gov.
Training and exam schedules
Regulations Update Training
Section 4VAC5-15-80.5 of the Virginia Nutrient Management Training and Certification Regulations, adopted Jan. 11, 2006, states, Persons certified prior to the effective date of these regulations shall attend a department-approved training course in phosphorus nutrient management planning methods and assessment techniques prior to certificate renewal. If DCR has no record of your attendance at an update session, your certificate expires and you wish to remain certified, your only option is to reapply for certification, which entails retaking the nutrient management exam.
Nutrient Management Training Schools
The Nutrient Management Training School that had been offered over a four-day period is now offered as two separate sessions covering distinct subject material. Descriptions, dates and locations are below.
If you do not have a college degree with a major in an agriculture-related area with course work in the areas of nutrient management, such as soils, soil fertility and plant science, you might have to attend both sessions to meet the educational component of the eligibility requirements for certification. Contact Nutrient Management Training and Certification Coordinator Emily Aleshire, (804) 371-8095, email emily.aleshire@dcr.virginia.gov, before the sessions begin if you are unsure if you meet the education requirements.
The number of pupils attending each session is limited in order to provide participants the best environment for learning, so register as soon as possible. Please register at least two weeks beforehand. Participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
The sessions are:
Soil Science/Fertility, Crop Production School (2-day session)
June 17-18, 2008. 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Registration, $50. Holiday Inn-Monticello, 1200 5th St. SW, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
This two-day session is a lecture series by Virginia Tech professors who cover soil science, soil fertility, organic nutrient sources and crop production material. If you have had no previous training in these subject areas, this session will help you understand how nutrients react and interact when applied to the soil. This session could be described as a micro-agronomy course.
Nutrient Management Plan Writing School (3-day session)
July 8-10. 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Registration, $75. Holiday Inn-Monticello, 1200 5th St., SW, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
This three-day session focuses entirely on the development of a nutrient management plan using a case study. Participants learn how to apply the Nutrient Management Certification and Training Regulations and the Standards and Criteria, Revised October 2005, to a real “farm type” situation. Participants work through writing all components of a nutrient management plan using various hands-on exercises to learn each step of plan development. Bring a good calculator and plenty of paper to take notes and work out the exercises.
Registration
To register for either session or both, contact Susan Jones in our Tappahannock office at (804) 443-6752, email susan.jones@dcr.virginia.gov.
Nutrient Management Continuing Education Opportunities
None at this time.
Online Continuing Education Credits Opportunity
Are you looking for a few credits to renew your nutrient management certification? Are you looking for another information source on the latest crop production issues? You can now go online to the Certified Crop Advisors (CCA) Web site and download articles and related exams to earn continuing education credits. You do not have to be a certified crop advisor to take part. For articles, just go to www.agronomy.org/cca and select Continuing Education, then select Self-Study CEU’s. This page lists all the articles available for study. Print the article and the associated test, then take the test and send it along with the nominal fee (usually $10) to the CCA to be scored. You will then receive a letter verifying that you passed the exam, assuming you answered enough questions correctly.
For more information about using the CCA website, contact CCA representative Michele Lovejoy; phone (608) 268-4953 or email mlovejoy@agronomy.org.
There are various topics covered by the articles. Each has a specific number of continuing education credits. The Virginia Nutrient Management Program allows up to 4 continuing education units (CEU) earned this way to count toward your required nutrient management continuing education credits. Only articles directly related to nutrient management subjects, as outlined in the Virginia Nutrient Management Training and Certification Regulations, can be used to earn nutrient management continuing education credits.
For certified planners who are CCA-certified, you can go to the Website, print the article, then go online, login with your CCA number, take the exam and print exam results. To receive nutrient management continuing education credits, you must submit a copy of the article you studied and a copy of the test results report showing that you passed the test. Credits are awarded based on the number of credits given for each article for which you passed the test. Again, only articles directly related to nutrient management subjects will be awarded credits. If you want to make sure you are studying articles that are eligible for credits, feel free to contact Emily Aleshire first. Only articles and test results received before expiration of your certificate count towards meeting the continuing education requirement. Once your certificate has expired, you must re-apply for certification should you wish to be a certified planner.
Submit requested article and test result report to Emily Aleshire, Department of Conservation and Recreation, 203 Governor St., Suite 206, Richmond, VA 23219.
Virginia Nutrient Management Certification Examination
Aug. 1, 2008, 8:20 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Holiday Inn-Monticello, 1200 5th St. SW, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
Request an application packet from Susan Jones, Department of Conservation and Recreation, P.O. Box 1425, Tappahannock, VA 22560; phone (804) 443-6752, fax (804) 443-4534. Completed applications and the $100 exam registration fee must be received by 5 p.m., July 2, 2008. Register early to be sure to meet the application deadline. Incomplete applications and applications lacking the $100 exam fee will not be processed until complete. Incomplete applications include those on which the applicant fails to provide evidence of meeting the minimum education, training and experience requirements to allow DCR personnel to determine his or her eligibility for certification. Upon review of a completed application, applicants will be notified by mail as to their eligibility to become certified.
The exam registration fee covers the exam and the initial two-year certification period. Applicants failing to pass the examination may retake the exam once more at no charge.
Education and experience requirements for certification are either:
Applicants who become certified agree to abide by the standards outlined in the Nutrient Management Training and Certification Regulations.
Review Session
July 31, 2008, 3-5 p.m. Holiday Inn-Monticello, 1200 5th St. SW, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
The session covers all nutrient management information and provides a forum for answering questions you may have about nutrient management plan writing. This session also covers exam day procedures as well as how to take multiple choice exams. This session will be held where the exam is held. There is no cost for this session. Participants should bring the reference material they received from the training schools and be prepared to ask questions. This is the only review session held before the exam. Registration is recommended but not required. Contact Susan Jones at (804) 443-6752 for more information.
Bring a calculator to the review session and exam.
Candidates Re-taking the exam
For those retaking one or both parts of the exam, you are required to submit an updated application, completing only parts 1, 3, 5, and 7, if nothing has changed from the last time you applied. Contact Susan Jones, (804) 443-6752, email susan.jones@dcr.virginia.gov, to see if you are required to submit the $100 fee with your application.
For more information about any of the above announcements or Virginia's Nutrient Management Program, please contact Emily Aleshire at (804) 371-8095, email emily.aleshire@dcr.virginia.gov.
