January 22, 2001

The Manitoba government is reviewing the report of the Livestock Stewardship Panel, a group appointed by the province last June to recommend actions for sustainable development of the livestock industry.

The report--entitled "Sustainable Livestock Development in Manitoba: Finding Common Ground"--was received by Agriculture and Food Minister Rosann Wowchuk, Conservation Minister Oscar Lathlin and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jean Friesen.

Wowchuk said the report would be a valuable guide to future policy development and a means for further public discussion.

"In the coming weeks and months, we will consult with stakeholder groups about the panel's recommendations and future directions under our livestock stewardship initiative," the minister said.

"For example, we will be discussing the recommendation for an appeal process for provincial decisions on livestock operations. With any process that is created, we must ensure that appeals are carried out in an expeditious and fair manner."

Wowchuk said the government has started on its way to fulfilling some of the recommendations, such as increasing monitoring and data collection to protect water quality and more study of ways to reduce the impact of climate change.

"We are pleased that the panel's findings confirm the government's direction in the past year. We have been able to balance growth in the livestock industry with an increased emphasis on environmental monitoring, land use planning and data collection."

A balanced approach to livestock stewardship will continue to be the government's priority when considering the panel's recommendations, the minister said.

"Because of the need to maintain balance, we will not be implementing the recommendation to require performance bonds for intensive livestock operations. We strongly believe this would tip the scales, leading to an unbalanced situation that would present an unnecessary barrier for responsible producers.

"We will continue to ensure that our monitoring, inspection and enforcement activities are adequate, and we will continue to work with producers to ensure that environmental issues are addressed."

Wowchuk said the government would likely accept the report’s recommendation to phase in a change in the threshold for regulation of an intensive livestock operation from 400 animal units (AU) to 300.

"This is a reasonable change that, as the report states, exists generally in other provincial jurisdictions. Of course this phase-in would have to happen over a reasonable period of time and be implemented in consultation and co-operation with the industry," she said.

Wowchuk expressed the government’s gratitude to the many Manitobans involved in producing the report, including the panel and the hundreds of individuals and organizations who appeared at public meetings and submitted written presentations.

The Livestock Stewardship Panel was appointed by the Manitoba government in June 2000 with a mandate to seek the views of Manitobans on the expansion of the livestock industry. Panel members were chair Ed Tyrchniewicz, Nick Carter and John Whitaker.

An electronic version of the report is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/news/stewardship/stewardship.html.

Copies can also be obtained by telephoning 204-945-0594.

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Increased inspections: With Budget 2000, the provincial government began to increase annual inspections to encompass all manure storage facilities in Manitoba. Prior to this, only facilities built since 1994 were inspected annually.

Study on soils: An independent study on soil sustainability in Manitoba is being carried out. The study examines the state of soils and the sustainability of long-term manure application.

Groundwater maps: Budget 2000 allowed for the updating of groundwater sensitivity maps, starting with targeted areas such as southeast Manitoba and the Interlake. These updates should be completed shortly.

Provincial approval process: The Conservation Department has significantly strengthened the approval process for livestock operations. Applications raising concerns due to water issues, proximity to neighbours, or local barn concentration go through closer examination by a special departmental team. These applications are subject to cumulative impact and risk assessment studies before decisions are made on their approval or rejection. Also, the department now officially notifies proponents of their environmental standards obligations upon receiving applications.

Municipal approval process: Last year the province amended the Planning Act to make formal technical reviews mandatory for major proposals to municipalities (over 400 animal units). The law also now requires provincial approval of applications before any construction can begin.

Municipal planning: The province has improved incentives for local land use planning, resulting in 11 new planning districts being formed or in the process of being formed over the past year and involving 43 municipalities. This means 94 per cent of municipalities will soon have their own land use plans or will belong to planning districts.

Resources: Some additional staff have been hired to assist with the Livestock Stewardship Initiative (for instance, Agriculture and Food has hired three additional staff in the area of soil and water) and reviewing needed positions and resources for the initiative will be an ongoing process.

Industry Growth: The livestock industry continues strong growth in Manitoba. For example, there were 5.3 million hogs produced in Manitoba in 2000, up from 4.76 million in 1999.