Manitoba farmers have until this weekend to apply fertilizer. The provincial government announced this morning that soil temperatures remain sufficiently warm and it will extend the nutrient application deadline beyond Nov. 10.
Producers can now apply commercial fertilizer and manure until Nov. 14.
In 2011 the province established regulations that prohibited farmers from applying fertilizer between Nov. 10 and April 10. The measures were part of broader legislation to protect Manitoba lakes, rivers and streams from nutrient loading.
Growers and Keystone Agricultural Producers opposed the hard deadlines because there are years when it’s possible to apply fertilizer in late November or early April.
The province listened and adopted a more flexible system based on soil temperatures, the weather forecast and snow cover.
Contact robert.arnason@producer.com
