DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The former manager of a state program that regulates Iowa livestock farms and the manure they produce alleges money dedicated by law to the program has been illegally diverted for other uses by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Gene Tinker, who was laid off last month after 14 years as the DNR coordinator of animal feeding operations, says there should be plenty of money to pay him since the state gets $1.6 million a year from fees paid by the farms the program oversees.

State Sen. David Johnson also believes money in the fund has been spent elsewhere even though a 2005 state law prohibits it. Johnson says he plans to seek a special audit of the fund. DNR spokesman Alex Murphy says the agency “fully denies the allegations.”