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Title: Commercial Animal Waste Technician (CAWT) -Applicator/Site Manager/Company
Alternate Title:
Description:

Minnesota law requires companies, site managers, and applicators that manage or apply manure for-hire to obtain Commercial Animal Waste Technician (CAWT) license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).

Subject: Animal Waste
Creation Date: 9/11/2008 2:11:55 PM
Modification Date: 8/9/2024 10:57:08 AM

Agency Name: Agriculture (MDA), Minnesota Department of
Agency URL: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/
Agency Description: The mission of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is to enhance all Minnesotans’ quality of life by equitably ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment, and the strength and resilience of our agricultural economy.
Agency Phone: 651-201-6000
800-967-2474
Agency Fax: Agency URL: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/

Agency Address:
625 N. Robert Street

Division Name: Pesticide Licensing
Division URL:
Division Description:
Division Phone: Division Fax: Division URL:

Audience: Hold Application URL: https://www2.mda.state.mn.us/webapp/erenewal/apply.jsp
Renewal URL: https://www2.mda.state.mn.us/webapp/erenewal/login.jsp
Versa URL:
Requirements:

Review:

Minnesota law requires companies, site managers, and applicators that manage or apply manure for-hire to obtain a Commercial Animal Waste Technician (CAWT) license from the MDA. “For-hire” means customers are billed or invoiced for services.

CAWT Company
A license is required for a company that commercially manages for-hire applications of animal waste. The company must also employ a CAWT Site Manager. The company license number must be displayed on application equipment.

CAWT Site Manager
A person employed by a CAWT Company to manage site operations, supervise CAWT Applicators and manage livestock manure. A Site Manager must be licensed in a specific category (liquid, solid or both). Licensed Site Managers do not need a CAWT Applicator license to apply manure to the ground.

CAWT Applicator
A CAWT Applicator must be licensed by MDA and operate under the supervision of a licensed CAWT Site Manager.

• A commercial or a for-hire application when money or other compensation is exchanged to manage or apply manure to the ground;
• A private producer applying their own manure when they have a capacity of 300 animal units or more, and do NOT have an updated manure management plan; or
• A commercial (for-hire) operation that stockpiles or manages manure.

• Carry a valid CAWT license card (either the electronic facsimile or the plastic wallets-sized card).
• Attend an MDA approved recertification workshop within the year listed on the license card, or
• Retest during the license renewal period (after renewal letter is received) and pay all required fees.

• CAWT Site Managers must certify for a license by passing an open book exam in the appropriate category (liquid, solid or both)
• CAWT Applicators must work under the supervision of a licensed CAWT Site Manager
• CAWT Applicators and Site Managers must work under a licensed CAWT Company
• CAWT Company must employ at least one Site Manager
• CAWT Company must display license number on all equipment at least 3 inches tall with high contrast colors
• All CAWT Applicators, Site Managers, and Companies are responsible for proper manure management or application

Forms & Resources

Rules:
Statutes: 18C.430
18C.432
18C.433

Applications and Recordkeeping

For information on manure applications and record keeping review the information on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website.

License application fees:

$100 per year for a CAWT Company License

$50 per year for a CAWT Site Manager License

$25 per year for a CAWT Applicator License

Period of Issuance:

From date of issuance through December 31 of each year.

Length of Determination: Approximately 1-3 weeks.
Other Info:
Activity: Manure
Commercial Animal Waste
Animal Waste
License Detail URL: