Regulating Alberta’s massive livestock industry becomes a provincial responsibility Jan. 1, and many remain unsure of what effects the new rules will have.
“You will have to see it in action to understand fully that it is workable,” Shirley McClellan told the Alberta Cattle Commission annual meeting Dec. 11.
Shortly after McClellan took over as provincial agriculture minister, she stepped in to resolve conflicts that have escalated over the development and location of intensive livestock operations.
She removed responsibility for their approval from municipalities and moved it to the Natural Resources Conservation Board, an agency of the provincial government.
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The board was created in 1991 to address environmental concerns about large-scale forestry projects.
A draft version of regulations is under review by affected parties.
“This piece of legislation is very enabling and the actual guts of this thing is in the regulations,” McClellan said. “We wanted to make sure these regulations would work.”
The Agricultural Operation Practices Amendment Act received royal assent on Nov. 29. It covers all species of livestock.
McClellan said the act’s main focus is manure handling.
While most associate the act with feedlots, hog barns and large scale poultry operations, it has repercussions for cow-calf producers. The protection of waterways near winter feeding sites must be dealt with and people have three years to improve their operations.
Standards have been established governing seasonal feeding and winter bedding sites located near water. Producers must protect the air, soil, ground and surface water by keeping their animal sites 30 metres or more away from open water.
There are already environmental laws in place if someone is polluting a water source.
“You are as liable today as you will be after Jan. 1,” she said.
The complete act and regulations may be viewed on Alberta Agriculture’s website at www.agric.gov.ab.ca.
Large portions of the act are based on work accomplished by the livestock regulations stakeholder advisory group, as well as a report from the committee checking the sustainable management of the livestock industry in Alberta.
Municipalities will be consulted on where these facilities should not be built and must provide explanations for objections.
