Farmscape for October 2, 2008   (Episode 2976)

Manitoba's minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives says there will be some flexibility when it comes of the enforcement of new rules which prohibit the construction of new or the expansion of existing swine barns in most of eastern Manitoba.

Last week, despite considerable opposition from Manitoba's agriculture community, the provincial government passed Bill 17, the environment amendment act.

The bill establishes regional moratoriums on the construction or expansion of swine barns in southeastern Manitoba, the Red River Valley Special Management area and the Interlake.

Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk says, as regulations are developed, there will be room for flexibility.

Clip-Rosann Wowchuk-Manitoba Agriculture Minister
There will be some flexibility on the side of technology.

We have said that, if an individual is implementing a bio-digester or a separator, then that will be considered as environmentally friendly and those kind of facilities will be able to proceed.

They'll still have to get a license to operate.

We are also looking at other areas where there are small operators who might be able to join their operations together.

We are also looking at some of the options and we have said there will be a transition fund that will be announced very shortly that will help people adapt to this new law and meet the environmental requirements that will be required for them to continue operating.

Wowchuk says, when you consider options like anaerobic digestion or separating the dry material from the liquid material there have been successful projects.

However, she stresses, ultimately we have to look at the available land base, how much nutrient can that land base can accommodate and how much can be sustainable.

She insists it has to be sustainable and the Clean Environment Commission has made recommendations on how things should be done and those reconditions are being implemented.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council