Nutrient Managemant Regulations
Discussed
BROCKVILLE – Bob Runciman, MPP for Leeds-Grenville
is pleased that the government of Ontario provided
local farmers, municipal representatives and
others the opportunity to comment on the second
set of draft regulations under the Nutrient
Management Act, 2002.
More than 200 people turned up at the Spring
Valley Hall Monday to discuss the proposed legislation.
Helen Johns, Minister of Agriculture and Food,
Chris Stockwell, Minister of the Environment
and Runciman listened to 18 briefs during the
three-hour session.
“The agri-food sector makes a key contribution
to the quality of life we enjoy here in (constituency),”
said Runciman. “We need to keep agricultural
sustainability in mind as we implement the province’s
Clean Water Strategy. Taking the time to listen
to those affected by this legislation will ensure
that we strike a balance between environmental
protection and a competitive farming industry.”
“I am strongly committed to the Nutrient
Management Act, and the regulations that will
ensure Ontario’s agriculture and food
industry shows the rest of the world what it
takes to be the best,” said Minister of
Agriculture and Food Helen Johns. “But
I recognize that I need to work with the sector
to ensure these regulations help us achieve
our goal of protecting the environment while
building an ever-stronger agriculture and food
industry.”
This is the second of three stages of public
consultations on the draft regulations. The
first stage dealt with content requirements
of nutrient management plans, and the categories
of livestock operations that will be required
to prepare these plans. There was excellent
input from stakeholders, and improvements have
been made to these draft regulations.
The second stage consultations deal with requirements
regarding:
• Categories of non-livestock, municipal
and industrial generators of materials containing
nutrients;
• content requirements of nutrient management
strategies for municipal and industrial generators;
• construction and siting of barns and
manure storages;
• setbacks and buffers from watercourses
for land application;
• training and certification for anyone
who prepares nutrient management plans and strategies,
as well as haulers and applicators;
• quality standards for land-applied nutrients;
• nutrient management at feedlot operations;
• roles and responsibilities of local
advisory committees;
• winter spreading;
• land application near municipal wells;
and
• enhancements to the Ministry of the
Environment’s land application program.
This series of more than a dozen meetings across
the province began December 11, 2002 and will
run through to the end of January, 2003.
The draft regulations are posted on the Ministry
of Agriculture and Food’s Web site (www.gov.on.ca/omaf)
and the Ministry of Environment and Energy’s
Web site (www.ene.gov.on.ca).
They are also posted for public comment on the
Environmental Bill of Rights information registry
(http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/env_reg/ebr/index.htm).
