In spring of 2008, the Manitoba Government lifted the moratorium of the construction of hog barns except in three large areas of the province. The problem is that those areas are the exact areas that were seeing the most expansion or construction of new barns prior to the moratorium. This leaves a number of hog farmers feeling as though they have to move across the province if they want to expand. Some larger hog farmers have even begun to explore options in other countries.
There is some hope for those who want to remain in Manitoba and want to expand or build in the three restricted areas. Essentially, they have to prove that their expansion or new operation is environmentally sustainable. The best way of proving this is by using a nutrient excretion model to show that the nutrients coming onto the farm are being balanced by the nutrients being removed from the farm.
So far, the people who are in charge of handling applications for expansion have not seen any such plans, let alone approved any. At this point I cannot say how likely it is that any plan for expansion will be approved, no matter how rigorous the environmental assessment. If you want to contact the government directly for more information, speak to Marla Riekman, Landscape Stewardship Specialist at (204) 266-2027. Feel free to give us a call and we’d be delighted to talk with you about the options for your expansion.
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