AN online chemical accreditation course tailored for grassfed and grainfed livestock producers was launched yesterday.

Don Mackay

The facility has been developed through a partnership between the Australian Lot Feeders Association and training specialists Smith & Georg.

ALFA president Don Mackay said the concept was initiated following recognition that current chemical accreditation courses were either not available online, or were focussed on cropping and horticulture sectors.

“We partnered with Smith & Georg, and are now proud to announce an online training module that offers extensive information tailored especially to meet the needs of cattle producers, lotfeeders, their employees and other people working with livestock around Australia,” Mr Mackay said.

The online course and its new optional Animal Health Treatments module meets the requirements for the nationally-recognised Level 3 units of competence ‘Transport, Handle and Store chemicals’ and ‘Prepare and Apply Chemicals’.

It covers the safe and responsible handling and application of agricultural and veterinary chemicals and complies with the requirements under the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme, Livestock Production Assurance and state legislation for chemical user-accreditation throughout Australia.

Mr Mackay said the course ensured that feedlots and other livestock businesses had an effective method of up-skilling people without the additional cost of traveling long distances for training.

“The animal health treatment module has been developed for those responsible for animal care, and provides the context to execute sound practices and procedures when dealing with the complexity of products used in managing the health of our livestock,” he said.

Smith & Georg some years ago became the first training provider to offer Australia-wide online chemical accreditation in the agriculture sector.

Company principal David Georg said that by partnering with ALFA, his company had been able to create a unique training module even more relevant to livestock industries. The facility was the first of its kind in Australia.

“Our participants can choose to learn and be assessed on topics relevant to their own business circumstances, with the added convenience of flexible online access,” he said.

Participants who successfully complete the optional module will gain an additional endorsement on their Chemical Accreditation card, thereby aiding employment opportunities in extensive and intensive livestock businesses.

• The new module will be launched at ALFA’s BeefEx conference on the Gold Coast on 7-9 October. Beef Central’s James Nason and Jon Condon will be in attendance, providing comprehensive daily conference coverage, as it happens.
• Smith & Georg, in partnership with ALFA, are offering BeefEx participants a 20pc discount on the cost of the Online Chemical Accreditation course (including the Animal Health Treatment Module).
• For more information on Chemical Accreditation for livestock industries contact David Georg at dave@smithandgeorg.com.au or on 1800 991 985.

Source: ALFA