In an effort to better protect water the Manitoba government has established new guidelines which limit the land application of livestock manure based on its phosphorus as well as it nitrogen content.

Manitoba Deputy Agriculture Minister Barry Todd told those attending the Manitoba Swine Seminar yesterday the province is encouraging Ottawa to amend the feed act to allow feed manufacturers more flexibility with respect to minimum levels of phosphorus required in rations.

Barry Todd-Manitoba Deputy Agriculture Minister

As we we tray and reduce phosphorus in Manure, the feed industry has pointed out to us that there are minimum amounts of phosphorus that need to be included in feed rations by regulation under that act but there are scientific approaches that can allow for lower levels of phosphorus in those rations and still provide the nutrition required by the pigs.

What they've raised with us is the need for more flexibility in that act to accommodate this new science based approach to rations.

It's rather unwieldy right now to get exemptions under the act for rations because, as I understand it, they have to be done on almost a ration by ration basis so it's a lot of extra work, a lot of cost because there is a cost involved as well.

We'll be following up with the federal government to try and encourage them to look at changing the act to provide the flexibility needed for the feed industry to lower phosphorus.

Todd says the changes being proposed would allow feed manufacturers to produce products that will reduce the level of phosphorus in the manure without impaction the nutrition of the animal
He notes it's the availability of phosphorus to the animal that should be the issue, not the total phosphorus in the ration and that will be the focus of discussion.