Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

Environmental Regulation

The Manitoba Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation under The Environment Act of Manitoba strengthens the protection of the environment, enhances enforcement capabilities, and helps to ensure that livestock production will be sustainable in the long term in Manitoba. Large intensive livestock operations now have to prepare and register an annual manure management plan and are prohibited from land spreading manure in winter months. The management plan ensures optimal use of nutrients in manure and that environmentally sensitive areas can be identified and protected.

Manure has to be stored in appropriate structures. Under this regulation, all structures require a permit from Manitoba Environment prior to construction and the structures must be certified by an engineer before their use or operation. The regulation also stipulates siting requirements which establish the minimum distances for which manure storage facilities and composting sites must be set back from surface water courses, sinkholes, wells and springs. The regulation prohibits the direct contamination of surface and ground waters by livestock manure by establishing criteria for land application.

A copy of The Environment Act of Manitoba can be viewed at the Statutory Publications Website for Manitoba.