Manitoba hog farmers hope the province will use a carrot rather than a stick to protect water quality.
The province is contemplating new rules to improve water quality in Manitoba, but producers are fearful of the costs and limitations those rules could place upon their farms.
They are also skeptical of the benefits the added regulations might bring to the environment.
In a bid to find middle ground, the Manitoba Pork Council last week unveiled what it sees as a way to improve nutrient management on farmland without adding more regulations.
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The pork council’s plan is based on education and incentives. It promotes the idea of working within existing rules and building on initiatives that are already under way, such as watershed planning, soil testing and environmental farm plans.
“What we’re trying to do here is put together what we consider a reasonable alternative, which would actually look at it from a farmer’s perspective in terms of managing the nutrients on his farm,” said Andrew Dickson, Manitoba Pork Council general manager.
The pork council named its proposal Agriculture Plan 5-10. The proposal lists items it believes could be implemented within five years, and others that could be adopted within 10 years.
The council wants more research to fill gaps that it says exist in the understanding of nutrients and how they can best be managed under Manitoba conditions.
It also wants ongoing evaluations of the benefits of nutrient management on the environment, as well as the impact those measures have on the economy and rural communities.
“We all agree that we have to preserve the environment and clean water, but we feel there’s better ways of arriving at that point,” said Karl Kynoch, Manitoba Pork Council chair.
“I think it’s time now that we sat down with government and worked this out.”
