The Manitoba government will likely introduce legislation next year to ban cosmetic pesticides in the province, as it plans to begin public consultation on the issue this spring.

The province’s plan for a ban provoked a swift reaction from Doug Chorney, Keystone Agricultural Producers president, who said the ban is “nonsense” and not based in sound science.

“I think there’s been some very successful lobbying done by activists who don’t really have any science to back up what they’re saying,” he said.

Manitoba’s conservation minister, Gord Mackintosh, said he wants the province to keep up with the times and follow the lead of other jurisdictions that have already banned cosmetic pesticides.

“Manitoba is one of less than a handful (of provinces) that haven’t modernized their regulations around cosmetic, non-essential pesticides,” said Mackintosh, who announced the intended ban Feb. 1. “We’re going to carefully look at (other provinces) in the consultation process… (to develop) Manitoba’s approach on this.”

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency tests all herbicides and pesticides to ensure they meet healthy and safety standards, Chorney said in a statement. So, the province is simply banning pesticides for “political reasons.”

In addition, a ban may have unintended, negative consequences for producers who farm close to urban areas, said Chorney, who farms north of Winnipeg near East Selkirk, Man.

“Me, as an example, I’m growing pedigree timothy grass seed and I will probably have to do more dandelion control,” he said, because weeds could infest the property around his cropland. “So, I’ll be spraying even more often that I would’ve otherwise.”

Agricultural lobby groups in other provinces, including Ontario, have attempted to fight cosmetic pesticide bans, but those lobbying efforts were not successful.

Despite that history, Chorney said KAP will do what it can to fight the ban in Manitoba.

“I know in other jurisdictions they (farm lobbyists) haven’t been successful. But maybe we’ll be able to get through.”