Farmscape for November 28, 2006  (Episode 2319)

Manitoba's Conservation Minister says the province will proceed with a proposed freeze on the development of new or expanded swine operations within Manitoba.

The public comment period on a proposed amendment to the Manitoba Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation under the Environment Act, which will temporarily restrict further growth of hog operations while the Clean Environment Commission reviews the sustainability of the industry, ended last week.

Conservation Minister Stan Struthers says comments were pretty balanced with some for, some against and some suggestions but the pause will proceed.

Clip-Stan Struthers-Manitoba Conservation Minister

No other sector has grown at the rate that the hog industry has.

We need to understand the impact of the hog industry on our environment, in particular our lakes and our rivers, our streams.

We need to know exactly what kind of an impact that will have and, in order to be I think credible on this, we can't be on the one hand taking a good thorough look through the clean environment commission at this impact and continuing just on our merry way accepting applications to build more hog capacity in Manitoba.

We thought it was consistent, that it was just good sense to take a step back, take a look at everything and have the Clean Environment Commission be very thorough and bring forward its scientific expertise and bring forward an opportunity for Manitobans to talk to us about how important water is and what we should be doing as a provincial government.

Struthers says, while there are no deadlines or anticipated time lines for the Clean Environment Commission to conclude its work, the history of the CEC is that it doesn't waste time and that it brings a level of credibility that can only come through this type of body.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council