MFGA ENCOURAGES ALL
TO TAKE PART IN GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIONS
AROUND GRASS, WATER
A provincial government call-out for input on three recently announced public consultations around land use, water management and ecological goods and services is being robustly supported by Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association.
"We tell everyone that the forage and grass producers we represent are totally on board with the importance of producers guiding land use decisions for producers that make sense from an economic and environmental perspective," says Dave Koslowsky, MFGA chair (pictured above). "With everyone circling around the importance of forages and grasslands for water, air and soil benefits to society, who better to hear from on this front than Manitoba forage and grass producers? We farm the land the way we have for years, many of us have multi-generational farms that have helped maintain and position grasslands and forages as the solution that society and government leaders are now pursuing. Now is our time to speak up on this matter collectively and with purpose."
Koslowsky says the MFGA Aquanty project model that is currently being built as a land-use planning tool to examine the role for forages and grasslands in times of flood or drought across the Assiniboine River Basin would offer tremendous opportunities for the government's consultation leaders to help visualize and promote collaboration on future agricultural landscapes across the basin. Especially from an aggregate perspective that would cobble together the producer and land management interests and use the MFGA Aquanty model to help deliver them with unification across the largest tracks of ARB agricultural lands for the greatest benefit to all.
"As a decision-support tool, the MFGA Aquanty Project model will provide farmers, ranchers, land managers and government agencies with the ability to make informed decisions around forages and grasslands by putting these grasses into modelling scenarios that will provide the most benefits to society."
Manitobans are being asked for input through consultation documents available at www.gov.mb.ca/sd or via email [email protected] until Oct. 6 - the full release below provides further detail.
Koslowsky says that MFGA is already working on their submissions both internally and collaboratively with the MFGA Board. He said other like-minded interests such as MFGA Aquanty partners and steering committee will be included in the MFGA process and also welcomed the further thoughts of MFGA forage and grassland producers.
Government of Manitoba News Release
Manitoba Launches Public Consultations on Watershed Planning Initiatives
August 22, 2017 --- The Manitoba government has launched public consultations on three new environmental initiatives, which will improve water management and modernize watershed planning, Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires and Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced today.
Read the full news release.
