A group of environmental and animal welfare activists is making a comeback.
In the 1990s, Hog Watch Manitoba actively spoke out against industrial hog barns and phosphorus levels in waterways.
Over the past decade, a moratorium prevented expansion. Now, proposed government changes to environmental regulations that could lift restrictions on hog barns in Manitoba have the activists on edge once again.
Member Vicki Burns said when hog farms expanded in the 1990s, a spike of phosphorus followed.
"We're very concerned," said Burns. “We already have significant problems with blue-green in Lake Winnipeg, in Killarney Lake, Pelican lake, a number of lakes around Manitoba. We've got to be extremely careful.
8M PIGS PER YEAR IN MANITOBA
Manitoba Pork said Manitoba produces about 8 million pigs a year. If restrictions change, it plans to add about four or five hog barns per year, which can hold between 2,000 and 6,000 pigs.
"To be clear, farmers are not allowed to run manure off their fields into water courses. They have to provide manure management plans, approved by government, based on soil tests, crop yields,” said General Manager Andrew Dickson.
Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox said the government is open to allowing the livestock sector to grow in a responsible and sustainable way, and welcomes input from all stakeholders.
"We have raised proposed changes to livestock manure and mortalities management regulation (LMMMR) with a science-based approach, as opposed to ideology, which the previous government used to limit growth for a certain group of agricultural producers in our province," Cox said in a statement to CTV News.
FARMER CHOOSES SMALLER SCALE
Springstein, Man. farmer Andreas Zinn would like to see more small producers set up in Manitoba.
Instead of a hog barn, he raises about 200 free-range heritage pigs in shelters.
Raising fewer pigs, with access to fresh air and straw, is what he sees as the environmentally sustainable solution.
"If you're able to have smaller herds, smaller operations, you can have more area per unit, per pig, and spread that manure out over a greater area. And it's less environmental impact,” said Zinn.
HOGWATCH MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT
Vicki Burns of Hog Watch Manitoba shows a chart showing phosphorus levels in Lake Winnipeg from the 1920s to the early 1990s. (Photo: Beth Macdonell/CTV Winnipeg)
Hog Watch Manitoba said it doesn't want to stop economic progress, but wants to make sure environment safeguards are in place.
It said it's looking forward to a meeting already set up with the government in May.
The NDP said the possible changes will take Manitoba in the wrong direction.
“Instead, they are tearing up environmental protections and increasing the risk that more contaminants from hog manure and urine will end up in Lake Winnipeg and other waterways,” said an email statement to CTV News from the NDP.
Manitoba Pork said about 13,000 Manitobans work in the pork industry.
