Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) has released its new Relocation of Livestock Facilities Planning Guide.
“Access to water was a major concern when many farmsteads were established and today producers are increasingly concerned with the impact their site has on the watershed, and the perceptions of their neighbours and other water users,” says Chris Ullmann CFO (confined feeding operation) extension specialist, AF, Red Deer. “Proactive producers may have questions about improving the site they have or how to move to a better location.”
The new relocation guide helps livestock producers identify the environmental risks at current livestock facilities, potential mitigation measures and steps to consider when relocating facilities.
“The information in the guide is really for those facilities that are located close to water resources and where the producer isn’t sure what the environmental impact to that site might be. It takes them through a process of looking at the site, assessing it and looking at ways to improve it, such as mitigation. Sometimes, these options just aren’t viable, and, for those cases, the guide has information to help the producer pick a new site.”
This guide was adapted, with their permission, from the Manitoba Relocation of Livestock Planning Guide with input from Alberta and Saskatchewan agriculture departments’ staff and from producers.
Source : Agriculture and Forestry