Conservation Minister Stan Struthers today released the Clean Environment Commission report Environmental Sustainability and Hog Production in Manitoba and thanked the commission and Manitobans who contributed their views and ideas to guide the future of hog production in Manitoba.

 

“I would like to thank the commission for their hard work in providing a comprehensive report. I also salute the agricultural, environmental and municipal organizations who took the time to thoughtfully contribute to the important work found in this document,” said Struthers. “I would particularly like to thank the individual Manitobans who took the time to attend public meetings and provide written submissions to further inform us on how this industry can be managed in an environmentally-sustainable manner in our province.”

 

In November 2006, the minister asked the commission to examine the hog industry in Manitoba to assess its environmental sustainability.   The commission held 20 public meetings in rural Manitoba. There were 189 presentations made to the commission and 50 written submissions over the winter and spring of 2007.

 

“Manitobans raised many issues with our panels - both positive and negative - which we have listened to carefully,” said Terry Sargeant, chair of the Clean Environment Commission. “We have taken those concerns very seriously in conducting a comprehensive review of the environmental sustainability of the industry and in making recommendations for the future.”

 

In addition, a number of expert reviews were commissioned to add to the overall knowledge base. These reports included two from the International Institute of Sustainable Development which looked at watershed management and reviewed policy and process. The George Morris Centre conducted an economic and environmental review and the University of Manitoba looked at environmental issues related to hog production in Manitoba and public perceptions of the industry.

 

In all, the commission’s report makes 48 recommendations related to the sustainability of hog production in Manitoba, which the minister said the province has accepted in principle. The investigation leading to the report was completed in December 2007 and a final report was given to government on Feb. 6, 2008. The investigation and report costs approximately $730,000.