If the latest proposal governing feedlots and hog barns passes muster, Alberta will have a provincial set of regulations and standards.
Called the sustainable livestock operations act, regulations and the standards document, the proposal has been circulated to the livestock industry with a Nov. 1 deadline for comments.
Terry Church of Alberta Agriculture, said the proposed provincial law should affect existing municipal bylaws.
The act has been in the works for several years and was spurred on by rapid expansion of the beef, hog, dairy and poultry sectors. Public outcry, particularly in southern Alberta over odor and water quality problems, prodded the province into taking action to protect human health and the environment.
Read Also
Dennis Laycraft to be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame
Dennis Laycraft, a champion for the beef industry, will be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame this fall.
Alberta Agriculture would administer the act but consult with other departments when approving developments.
The province addresses technical decisions related to manure storage, barn or feedlot locations, animal populations and procedures for obtaining building permits. The municipalities keep jurisdiction over land-use decisions and building permits.
Wintering sites for cow-calf and possibly sheep are also included in the proposal, although feeding areas would not generally require development approval. The act serves as a caution about runoff on hillsides and winter pastures.
“Almost all the municipalities that we know of exempt them from the development permit,” said Church.
To qualify as a regulated feeding site, the area has to be used for more than 90 days with a greater density of 43 animal units per acre. The animals must be enclosed and confined in that area.
The act defines an animal unit as equal to a 1,000 pound beef cow, 120 laying chickens, one bison, 200 broilers or five sows or boars. This was calculated according to the amount of nitrogen produced by a livestock species.
“If you had a 10 acre pasture, you could have 400 cows and still not meet the requirement for a seasonal feeding site,” he said.
Enforcement of the law includes a voluntary peer review process. If that fails, officials can issue an order and levy fines if someone fails to abide by the law.
Fines for polluting the environment are no more than $5,000 for the first offence and $10,000 for subsequent offences.
Any new or expanding livestock operation must apply for approval. These include any operation with 300 or more animal units at a density of 43 animals per acre or is located in a one-in-100 year floodplain, is close to an open body of water or is over a regional aquifer with less than 10 metres of soil below the manure storage facility.
The approval process should take six weeks to four months. The new regulations impose times frames to keep the process moving.
Existing operations have until Jan. 31, 2003 to list their location and size.
“Existing operations, as long as they’re not causing a pollution problem, will be allowed to continue as they were,” said Church.
If these are causing problems, the owners could be ordered to improve the property.
Public information sessions are offered in October and will be held 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at these locations.
- Oct. 19 – Lethbridge, Sven Erikson’s Restaurant, 1715 Mayor
Magrath Drive S.
- Oct. 20 – Red Deer, Red Deer Lodge, 4311 – 49 Avenue.
- Oct. 22 – Vegreville, D&R Family Restaurant and Hall, 5106 – 48
Avenue.
- Oct.25 – Barrhead, Barrhead Neighborhood Inn, Highway 33, 6011 – 49 Street.
- Oct. 26 – Fairview, Dunvegan Motor Inn, 9812 – 113 Street.
