Manitoba’s livestock producers are hoping a strong show of support for the withdrawal of Bill 17 will convince the provincial government to abandon plans to impose permanent moratoriums on hog industry expansion in much of Manitoba.
Many may think, what does this have to do with dairy producers?
Well, it may have everything to do with them because the feeling in Manitoba among all livestock producers this may just be the tip of the iceberg.
“They’ll get one segment of the livestock industry and the legislation in place, and from there its pretty simple to take away the right to produce, segment by segment,” said one livestock producer.
In early March, following the release of the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission (CEC) report on the environmental sustainability of Manitoba’s hog industry, the province announced it would replace a province wide temporary pause on hog industry development with permanent moratoriums in three regions. Areas affected include Southeastern Manitoba, identified as an area that does not have sufficient land base to allow for further spreading of livestock manure.
Next, the Red River Valley Special Management Zone, including the Capital Region of the province, identified by the Phosphorus Expert Committee as a vulnerable region because it is prone to flooding; and the Interlake, identified as ecologically unsuitable for further hog expansion.
All have everything to do with sustaining the environment only, but has nothing to do with sustaining the economic viability of the hog farm.
Bill 17 proposes amendments to the environment act that would entrench a ban on the construction of new or expanded hog barns or manure storage structures in those areas. The bill passed first and second reading in the legislature and then went for review by the Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food before third reading and passage.
While the NDP government’s intention was to pass by June 12, the last sitting day of the current Legislative Assembly, a strong fight led by the PC opposition and the livestock industry together they strategize to have Bill 17 delayed until the sitting of the fall session.
More than 300 Manitobans took the opportunity to speak out at the public hearings, which took place over a whole week in the beginning of June. An overwhelming majority of the presenters spoke out against Bill 17 and the damaging effect it will have on hog farmers, businesses and rural Manitoba if implemented.
Other livestock sectors stood up and told the government what they thought of Bill 17.
“We certainly will be speaking against the bill and hoping for its defeat,” said Penny Kelly the general manager of Manitoba Egg Producers (MEP).
“We have a real concern that the extensive ban that is being proposed by the bill is not part of the recommendations contained in the Clean Environment Commission report.”
And speak out they did.
Manitoba Chicken Producers (MCP) general manager Wayne Hiltz agreed, “Bill 17 has no connection to the Clean Environment Commission report, which said that the hog industry was sustainable.”
He acknowledges, technically, the bill will not affect chicken producers today but it does raise the question, “Who’s next?” and “Why is policy not based on science?”
Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) vice president Robert McLean believes the tools are already in place to protect the environment without imposing moratoriums on one segment of the industry.
“We’ve worked with the government over the last several years. There are the nutrient management regulations that have come down, manure management regulations, rules in place through your municipal act.,” said McLean. “These tools are in place to ensure that hog production, or any livestock production for that matter, is sustainable in Manitoba and there was no need for a total moratorium or a total ban to be put in place.”
McLean believes the government of the day is pursuing the action for political reasons and not scientific reasons.
“In the last 10 maybe 15 years, all of agriculture has been working hard to be able to come into line on environmental issues,” observes Manitoba Cattle Producers Association (MCPA) president Martin Unrau.
Unrau stresses the MCPA is opposed to imposing moratoriums on an agricultural industry and has trouble accepting moratoriums in situations like this where government ignored science. He believes all of agriculture needs to stick together on the issue.
“We all use nutrients for crop production in our separate businesses and the hog industry is no different than the grain or the cattle industry. I don’t have hogs personally and usually the cattle industry doesn’t get into the hog industry’s business,” said Unrau.
“But when it comes down to environmental issues such as this, we felt that we had to stand beside the hog producers and try to push this forward and get Bill 17 at least moved down for a while until we can get the scientific facts we need to move forward on environmental issues.”
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