Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) welcomes the federal and provincial announcement regarding an investment for Manitoba pork producers through the Manure Management Financial Assistance Program (MMFAP).
The program will give producers access to over $26 million over three years. The funds will be available to assist producers with building and repairing manure storage structures and adopting manure treatment systems. This will help producers meet new provincial manure management requirements under the Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation.
“This is positive news and it should help small family farms cope with meeting the regulations,” said Doug Chorney, KAP President. “Producers welcome help with the substantial costs of ensuring they have manure storage once the extended ban on winter spreading comes into effect in 2013.”
Under the new provincial requirements, producers with less than 300 animal units must have manure storage facilities for 400 days of storage. Program funds will be specifically available for producers under 300 animal units, up to a maximum of $250,000.
“Our hope is that these program funds will help with the financial burden of building or upgrading manure storage structures or adopting treatment systems in order for family farms to be able to continue on with their operations,” said Chorney.
Application forms for the MMFAP will be available to producers in March.
