September 26, 2008

 

Manitoba government proceeds with hog-industry expansion moratoriums

  

 

Three regional moratoriums on hog-industry expansion in Manitoba will soon be made permanent after the formal passage a bill on the matter, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers announced this week.

 

The bill received third and final reading Monday, the last step before receiving royal assent.

 

"This bill ensures the old practice of unsustainable industry growth in hog alley has been permanently halted," the minister said, referring to a region that roughly takes up the southern and central regions of the province. "This bill is consistent with the Clean Environment Commission's direction to strengthen our plan to ensure we protect our land and water."

 

The three regions affected by the moratoriums are:

 

-- Southeastern Manitoba. This region is classified as an intensively developed area, meaning it does not have sufficient land base to allow for further sustainable spreading of livestock manure.

 

-- The Red River Valley Special Management Area. This high-risk area, which includes the Capital Region of the province, was identified by the Phosphorus Expert Committee as a vulnerable region because it is a flood-prone area.

 

-- The Interlake. This region borders Lake Winnipeg to the east and Lake Manitoba to the west. In addition, wetlands and other marginal and ecologically sensitive land make the region unsuitable for further hog- industry expansion.

 

Industry expansion in these regions has been halted since November 2006 when the Manitoba government announced a province-wide industry pause. The ban was lifted in all but three regions of the province following the release of the Clean Environment Commission's report on the environmental sustainability of the hog industry in March.

 

During that time, expansion was allowed for producers who introduced new technologies such as anaerobic digesters and a combination of separators and other systems that enhance environmental protection, Struthers said. He said the bill allows that practice to continue.
      

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