Province introduces legislation to streamline appeal process under Animal Care Act

Mar 15, 2023

The Manitoba government has introduced amendments to the Animal Care Act that it says would streamline and enhance the process for appeals brought before the Animal Care Appeal Board, Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced.

“Everyone benefits when the well-being of animals is respected,” said Johnson. “The ethically sound treatment of animals is a priority for citizens and society as a whole, is good business practice and is an essential part of modern agriculture. These amendments align with our government’s commitment to protect the welfare of animals and to enforce compliance with an acceptable standard for their care.”

The Animal Care Appeal Board hears appeals on animal seizures and other decisions and orders made under the Animal Care Act. The proposed amendments would update the process for filing appeals, increase the flexibility of hearings and introduce provisions related to the dismissal of appeals, the minister noted.

The amendments would change the process for appeals by introducing a seven-day time limit for filing a notice of appeal, though an additional provision would allow the appeal board to extend this time limit in specified circumstances. The requirement that a notice of appeal must be in writing and must state the reasons for the appeal remains unchanged.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.