Changes to Environment Amendment Act Proposed
CANADA - Manitoba's pork producers have proposed changes to the province's proposed environment amendment act that they believe will allow their industry to thrive while meeting the government's goal of environmental sustainability, writes Bruce Cochrane. Bill 17, which calls for a permanent blanket moratorium on hog industry development in much of Manitoba, is scheduled to go to third reading and possible passage this fall.
Affected areas include Southeastern Manitoba, the Red River Valley Special Management Zone, including the Capital Region of the province, and the Interlake.
The "Zero Percent Solution," being proposed by Manitoba Pork Council, calls for replacing the moratorium with requirements for new or expanding operations in the designated area that would limit hog manure nutrient application to the amount that would be removed by the crop, a ban on winter spreading and requirements for incorporation of applied manure into the soil within 48 hours of spreading.
Manitoba Pork Council chairman Karl Kynoch notes the recommendation comes directly from the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission's December 2007 report.
Karl Kynoch-Manitoba Pork Council
The Zero Percent Solution, we feel is a win win for both the government and producers.
The Zero Percent Solution will achieve the government's goals of restricting further expansion of livestock in the areas that already have a lot of livestock and have a lot of nutrients on the land already.
It would already achieve the government's goal there without having a moratorium.
The other thing it would do is allow farmers to be able to stay viable.
If the farmer needs to change the structure of his operation or restructure it this would allow him, as long as he had adequate land base to spread the manure on, this would allow him to do that, to be able to stay viable and meet all the new environmental regulations that are being put on us through the Clean Environment Commission report.
Kynoch says the request has been forwarded to Manitoba Conservation minister Stan Struthers and pork producers are hopeful changes will be made prior to passage of the bill.