The Manitoba government's introduction of a new special pilot project permit evaluation protocol will allow the construction of swine barns in the province to resume under 11 new conditions.
In 2006 the Manitoba government banned the construction or expansion of swine barns in 35 RMs and in 2011 extended the ban to the entire province resulting in a gradual decline in hog production and shortages in the processing sector.
Mike Telliet, the manager of sustainable development programs with Manitoba Pork, says the recently approved special pilot project permit evaluation protocol will allow new building to occur under 11 new conditions.
Mike Telliet-Manitoba Pork:
One of the key ones is there has been a 200 percent reduction in soil phosphorus limits. Right now the regulation allows for 180 parts per million of soil phosphorus build up in soil. This new protocol will lower that to 60 parts per million for new barns, a significant reduction.
Secondly all new hog operations will have to inject their manure or incorporate within 48 hours. That's also a new requirement.
Thirdly there will be additional manure sampling and testing requirements over and above what's required now.
Fourthly they will require significantly more land for spread fields than was required before. We estimate up to or even more than twice as much land will be required for spread fields as was required in the past. They will have to have enough land to spread at a one times phosphorus application rate. Even though they won't be required to spread at that rate they will have to have enough land to be able to spread at that rate.
Telliet says that's some of the conditions and there are others.
Source: Farmscape