Bryan Smith, Area Extension Agent-Agricultural Engineer
SC State Regulation R.61-43 requires all confined animal facility operators to attend the Confined Animal Manure Manager (CAMM) certification program provided by Clemson Extension. The CAMM team has worked hard to provide trainings for South Carolina’s confined animal facility operators this year. From July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 Bryan Smith (Laurens), Brian Beer (Lancaster), Lee van Vlake (Florence), and Amber Starnes (Chesterfield) worked together to offer two initial, full day trainings and also worked with local county agents across the state to provide 65 recertification trainings including 53 in-person trainings and 12 online Zoom trainings.
Presenters included Bryan Smith, Dr. Julie Helm (Livestock Poultry Health), Dr. John Chastain (Clemson University), Dr. Sean Eastman (Livestock Poultry Health), Lee van Vlake, Brian Beer, and Tonya O’Cain (SCDES). Topics included “Crop Utilization of Manure Nutrients and Soil Fertility,” “Vectors and Vector Control,” “Horse Manure Issues and Management,” “Mortality and Composting,” “Energy Saving Opportunities for Swine Facilities,” “Beef Grazing Systems and Water Quality Protection,” “Poultry Litter Fertilization for Hybrid Bermudagrass,” and “Tunnel Ventilation & Evaporative Cooling: Heat Stress Reduction, Performance, and Energy Use,” as well as several others.
597 growers attended the in-person recertification trainings and 435 growers attended the online recertification trainings. 60 growers attended the two initial, full-day trainings.
The team plans to offer two initial, full-day trainings in February 2026 and a slate of recertification trainings for our growers from January through March 2026 and another slate from late April through August 2026. More information about the training program may be found at www.clemson.edu/camm .
