The Chair of Manitoba Pork is applauding the province’s commitment to reducing the red tape that discourages agricultural development.
In mid-November the Chair of Manitoba Pork sent a letter to Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister requesting the province consider 22 regulatory amendments that would streamline and accelerate the approval process for building new hog barns in the province.
Under the existing process it takes upwards of nine months to get approval for new barn construction and pork producers would to see that cut in half.
George Matheson says, the complex approval process adds costs to barn construction and reduces the competiveness of Manitoba farmers with those in other jurisdictions.
The Premier himself has said that he sees tremendous untapped opportunities in the ag sector in Manitoba and he wants to make sure that government regulations and red tape are not obstructing those prospects. The Premier has stated that he is establishing a Red Tape Reduction Task Force that will identify regulatory barriers.
If we can reduce the amount of red tape and so therefore reduce the amount of time and cost it will increase our competitiveness with producers in other parts of Canada and in the American states. We look very much forward to that happening and realizing where unnecessary red tape can be reduced.
~ George Matheson-Manitoba Pork
Matheson stresses it’s important to maintain the support and confidence of the consumers who buy our agricultural products. He says pork producers support the government’s efforts to balance laws and regulations in a way that allows agriculture to remain competitive while protecting the environment at the same time.
