(1) An employee seeking to obtain certification as an agricultural appraiser must be certified by the department as a residential appraiser pursuant to the standards set forth in ARM 42.18.206.

(2) Training and testing criteria shall be as follows:

(a) Department training sessions will be offered annually if funding is available and if there are sufficient numbers of field staff who require the courses.

(b) The employee shall attend the first scheduled Agricultural Land Classification/Appraisal (ALCA) training session after being assigned ALCA responsibilities. Satisfactory completion of the ALCA training session shall include successful completion of the written examination conducted at the conclusion of the ALCA training session. If the employee fails to successfully complete the first written examination, attendance at the next ALCA training session shall be required. Failure to successfully complete the second written examination may result in immediate termination of employment. The department may choose to demote the employee to a residential appraisal position, if the position is available and the individual is certified to perform in that position. The employee will be notified of exam results within one month of completion of the exam.

(3) Upon commencement of employment with the department as an agricultural appraiser, the employee shall undertake a one-year period of on-the-job agricultural appraiser work during which time the employee will begin the process of meeting the requirements set forth in (2). For employees new to state government, this one-year period will run concurrently with and in addition to the automatic six-month probation period set forth in department policy 3.1.4. The commencement of the year experience requirement will coincide with the employee's notification of being assigned ALCA responsibilities. All work will be supervised by the department. Failure to perform the classification/appraisal work satisfactorily at any time during the one-year period may result in immediate termination. The department may choose to demote the employee to a residential appraisal position, if the position is available and the individual is certified to perform in that position.

(4) The department may waive the criteria set forth in (2) if sufficient proof is presented within six months of hire that the employee has previously fulfilled such criteria. Evidence of fulfilling the requirements may include but is not limited to providing proof of having successfully completed a course of instruction from a professional appraisal and real estate related organization, provided that the organization is a member of The Appraisal Foundation as defined in 37-54-102, MCA. The course must be equal to or greater in complexity than that of the department's ALCA course. An employee who is a Certified Residential Appraiser through the Board of Real Estate Appraisers of the Business and Occupational Licensing Bureau of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry or in another state in accordance to the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB), is also eligible for a waiver under this subsection.