Manitoba has extended a popular program that offers property tax rebates to farmers who agree to protect sensitive riparian areas.
The Riparian Tax Credit offers property tax rebates of $100 to $140 per acre.
The credits are paid over a five-year period, resulting in annual payments of $20 to $28 per acre.
The tax credits were initially offered over five years from 2005-09, but the province announced last month it would extend the program for another five years.
The deadline to apply for the 2010-14 program is June 30.
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“Manitoba producers are known for being good stewards of the land and the Riparian tax Credit recognizes these producers and encourages others to join in these practices,” said water stewardship minister Christine Melnick.
Under the program, owners of farmland bordering a lake or waterway can apply for a tax credit if the riparian area has been cropped in the past or is suitable for grazing.
Grassed waterways, seasonal creeks, dry riverbeds, roadside drainage ditches and wetlands are not eligible.
Farmers enrolled in the program must agree to create a 100-foot exclusion zone along each side of the lake or waterway and maintain permanent fencing to keep livestock out of the protected area.
Livestock are not allowed to graze or water in the exclusion zone for five years.
Haying is permitted in the protected area, but all other agricultural activities are prohibited.
A fence is not required on land that was formerly cropped, but the riparian strip must remain covered in native or tame forage, bushes or trees.
Riparian areas that are sloped 10 percent or more toward the water are eligible for an additional 30 percent credit.
The program also provides an additional credit worth up to $1,000 for producers who establish an on-site watering facility for livestock.
Producers who participated in the program since 2005 are eligible to reapply for a second five-year term.
For more information, call the Manitoba Tax Assistance Office at 800-782-0771 or visit www.gov.mb.ca/finance/tao/riparian.
