STONEWALL, Man. – Opponents and proponents of a larger hog industry for Manitoba squared off in front of the Clean Environment Commission here March 5-6, with each side saying it wants the same thing.
“We believe that the province of Manitoba and the hog industry need to work together to make the industry profitable and sustainable without posing unacceptable hazards to the environment,” said local farmer James McCowan.
Hog industry feed supplier Peter Vis told the CEC’s first rural hearing into the hog industry that environmental sustainability is everybody’s goal.
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“Manure should be looked upon as a rich, essential nutrient for sustainable agriculture. … I don’t think anybody in the industry objects to rules that whatever is put down (into the soil in manure nutrients) is taken out of the soil,” said Vis.
But it was clear at this hearing and at the one held the day before in Winnipeg that the two sides have different views about whether hog producers take those concerns seriously.
McCowan restricted his comments to discussing a local Hutterite operation, but it was clear he was skeptical of the colony’s actions in establishing larger and revamped production facilities near Grosse Isle, Man.
He accused the Rock Lake Colony’s recently stocked barns of producing a heavy manure smell and said local people worry that it will deplete the area’s aquifer.
He also told the commission that local people worry the barns will pollute water supplies, especially in flood years, and that trees the colony promised to plant have not appeared.
A long line of Rock Lake Colony residents sat at the back of the room hearing the accusations, but quietly bided their time until the evening session of the hearing, at which they would present their side of the story.
However, colony hog production leader Ben Hofer said in an interview that many of the allegations weren’t accurate.
“The trees are planted. They just need patience until they grow in the spring,” said Hofer.
He doubted that McCowan and another local resident who presented with him could be pacified by anything because “they are anti-hog. Amen.”
He denied that Rock Lake has problems with non-Hutterite neighbours.
“We try to live in harmony with our neighbours. We’re trying to do everything in an environmentally sustainable manner,” said Hofer.
While the back and forth over the Rock Lake situation consumed significant time that day, it was essentially irrelevant, a commissioner said later during the coffee break.
The commission is not mandated to investigate local disputes but to look at the overall issue.
However, the commissioner noted that he and his colleagues expect to hear many local disputes brought before it, and they hoped to be able to pull general principles from these situations.
McCowan’s group put forward 11 recommendations about ways to improve the oversight of the hog industry, for which CEC chair Terry Sargeant thanked him.
John Preun, president of Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-operative, warned the commission of dire consequences for hog farming families if the development moratorium is not “looked after quickly and properly.”
He said hog producers want clear rules so they know what they have to do.
“I’m sure that the producers will embrace all recommendations coming out of these hearings provided that they are practical and affordable,” said Preun.
Farmer George Matheson, who has an 85 sow farrow-to-finish operation, said he uses a straw-based production system and ensures that his manure spreading does not contaminate local water.
He said he and other Manitoba hog producers work hard to minimize their impact on soil and water and should be seen as positive.
“I am proud of my farm’s environmental record, soil quality, minimal odour emissions and humanitarian animal husbandry methods,” said Matheson.
The commission has scheduled 17 days of hearings in 14 communities. The last meeting scheduled is April 27. People who do not want to attend meetings can submit written presentations until May 7.
