Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship advises soil temperatures have not yet reached the freezing point, so the winter nutrient application ban has been delayed until Nov. 12. Future variations to winter nutrient application dates will be communicated through a new streamlined, more transparent process that continues to protect Manitoba waterways while also providing agricultural producers flexibility and up-to-the-minute access to the status of variations.
Without a variance, the standard ban on winter nutrient application begins on Nov. 10 and ends at midnight on April 10. Decisions about variations are based on actual soil temperatures, the presence of snow cover and the long-term weather forecast. When a variance is authorized, it will apply to forms of nutrients such as livestock manure and inorganic fertilizer. At this time, application is allowed but certain strict conditions must be met. For instance, nutrients can only be surface applied if they are immediately incorporated. Producers can access information on the winter spreading restrictions and the conditions necessary for a variance online at www.manitoba.ca/nutrientdates.
The regulations are designed to ensure nutrients are not applied when the ground is frozen and to protect the water quality of Manitoba’s lakes and rivers by reducing nutrient loading to waterways. These changes were developed in consultation with the Keystone Agricultural Producers, the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers and the commercial manure applicator industry.
These regulations support TomorrowNow – Manitoba’s Green Plan, an eight-year plan that supports environmental protection while ensuring a prosperous and environmentally conscious economy.
