Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1312

The University of Manitoba is set to launch a study that will examine the potential environmental and economic impact of introducing a phosphorus based manure management regulation.

Because manure contains more phosphorus than nitrogen, Manitoba's current nitrogen based manure management regulations could lead to excess application of phosphorus.

A just completed U of M study, conducted on behalf of the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative, examined phosphorus loading on soils and water in Manitoba, practices for minimizing phosphorus loading and regulatory options.

Associate Professor Dr. Don Flaten says this new project will evaluate the potential effect of moving to a phosphorus based manure management regulation.

"We're taking the knowledge that we've already gained and looking at two exercises.

One is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of some promising options for regulating phosphorus management in Manitoba, what would happen agriculturally and environmentally if we adopted some possible different ways of regulating phosphorus management.

In the final phase we're actually going to take a couple of those regulatory models and try to apply them to four specific farm case studies.

We want to see how difficult is it to implement this regulation, what would be the impact on an individual producer's production practices and economics and environmental influence.

We're still really just trying to evaluate the overall options that we need to consider in Manitoba for phosphorus management and try to get an appreciation of what the impact would be if we adopted one of those strategies".

Dr. Flaten says the hope is to begin this next phase of research in September and have it wrapped up by January.