Emergency manure spreading process.

We recognize that producers in the Fraser Valley may be faced with liquid manure storage challenges due to the following circumstances:

• Your farm has accepted evacuated cattle from a flooded area
• Your farm has had to dispose of milk in the manure pit due to recent disruptions in the supply chain
• Excessive precipitation/floodwaters have directly or indirectly entered into your farm’s liquid manure storage system

To help address these challenges, the BC Ministry of Environment has established an Order that will allow emergency manure spreading under certain conditions to prevent liquid manure storage systems from failing or overflowing. Producers who are faced with the above circumstances and need to spread manure are required through the Order to apply to the Ministry of Environment for authorization to spread during the months of December 2021 and January 2022.

How to apply:

1. If your liquid storage structure is at risk of failing or overflowing due to the above circumstances OR you anticipate it will become at risk in the near future, please download the Ministry of Environment application form below. Please download the form to your desktop and fill it in from there. You will be asked for specific information about why you need to spread during the typical no-spread months (November 1st to February 1st) in the Fraser Valley.

2. Email your completed form to the Ministry of Environment at authorizations.south@gov.bc.ca ASAP. The Ministry is taking applications until December 19th, 2021. If you need to spread shortly, or you anticipate you will need to spread during the winter, you are encouraged to apply right away. You only need to apply once for authorization to spread.
3. The Ministry will assess your application and let you know whether you have received authorization to spread (and under what conditions you are to do so). If you receive authorization to spread, then you will have the ability to do so between now and January 31st, provided your farm meets the spreading criteria that will be shared in your authorization letter.

Note: If you apply for authorization, and it is not given, please email the Ministry of Environment at authorizations.south@gov.bc.ca to seek guidance on next steps.

Important note: The Ministry’s emergency manure spreading authorizations process only applies to those who have full liquid manure pits due to the circumstances outlined above. It is not intended as a means for those who do not meet the criteria to spread during the winter months. Producers who believe they have a need to spread/anticipate a need to spread must apply through the Ministry of Environment in order to do so. Spreading over the winter without authorization is in violation of the Environmental Management Act and potentially the Public Health Act–fines may be issued for up to $3,000,000.

If you have questions, you can reach out to the Ministry of Environment for support at authorizations.south@gov.bc.ca