Manitoba’s conservation districts will receive $750,000 this year to work with farmers on projects that will improve water quality, support climate change adaptation and preserve wildlife habitat. Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn and Robert Sopuck, Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette on behalf of Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, were in Ste. Rose du Lac to announce this program.
“We are investing in the long-term health of our environment, by partnering with farmers and conservation districts,” said Minister Kostyshyn. “These projects will inject money into the rural economy and have measurable effects on the natural landscape.”
Projects such as maintaining or improving wetlands, natural tree or grassland areas and riparian areas along waterways are eligible for funding, as are new water retention projects.
“Canadian farmers are responsible stewards of our land and water resources,” said MP Sopuck. “Growing Forward 2 programs help farmers implement best management practices that support environmental sustainability and the long-term viability of agriculture in Manitoba.”
Farmers will receive support to complete projects with important local environmental benefits, as identified by their conservation district.
“We welcome this ongoing initiative and that additional funds are available this year,” said Heather Dalgleish, chair of the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association. “Conservation districts have a proven record of delivering beneficial on-farm projects through their connection with our agricultural producers.”
The on-farm projects coordinated through conservation districts are funded under Growing Forward 2’s Growing Assurance – Ecological Goods and Services program. For more information on this program, including a list of all types of eligible projects, visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture under Growing Forward 2 – Strategic Initiatives.
In Manitoba, the federal and provincial governments are investing $176 million under Growing Forward 2, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial policy framework to advance the agriculture industry, helping producers and processors become more innovative and competitive in world markets.
These projects support recent commitments in the province’s proposed Surface Water Management Strategy, which would result in no-net loss of wetland benefits by 2020 and make significant investments in water control infrastructure. For more information about the strategy, visit www.gov.mb.ca/conservation.
