WINNIPEG — While the Manitoba Pork Council is working on a pilot project to help farmers expand or build new pig barns in the province, no rules have changed, Manitoba Conservation officials say.
In 2011, the provincial government enacted a provincewide ban on new hog-barn developments unless they’re equipped with an anaerobic digestion system to treat the manure.
Manitoba Pork published an online document last week with information about a new pilot project with extra regulations for pig barns that the industry group said will allow new pig barn developed.
“This Protocol was designed to allow for new and expanded pig operations in the province,” the document says. “New or expanded pig operations had essentially not been permitted anywhere in the province since 2011, and they had not been permitted in many parts of the province since 2006.”
The document on how to navigate through the approval process, called Starting or Expanding a Pig Farm in Manitoba, is posted on Manitoba Pork’s website.
However, there is no change in legislation, a Manitoba Conservation spokesman said.
“No changes to existing legislation or regulation are being contemplated for this pilot project,” the province said in an email. The tightened regulations were designed to protect Lake Winnipeg, which has dealt with blue-green algae growths contributed to by agricultural runoff.
“This government remains committed to protecting the water quality of the Lake Winnipeg watershed. There is zero tolerance when it comes to any negative impact to the watershed.”
The Manitoba Pork document said new pig barn development won’t be allowed in Hanover and La Broquerie.
“The provincial government will consider new pig operations west of the Red River, and it will also consider allowing existing pig operations to expand throughout the province (except in Hanover and La Broquerie) – but only if they meet the requirements of the protocol and obtain all other required approvals,” the document says. “The requirements of the protocol are over and above all other legislative and regulatory requirements.”
This story clarifies information contained in an earlier story by The Canadian Press.
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