By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Wednesday November 9, 2022

Nov 9, 2022 | 12:03 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – The Manitoba government has unveiled the province’s first new collective water management strategy in nearly 20 years.

Premier Heather Stefanson said the strategy is needed because growing communities, the agriculture sector, and expanding industry all depend on continued access to water while climate change is having a significant effect on availability and supply.

It floats the idea of new water pricing structures to help control demand and offers rainwater capture to help conservation. Meaningful roles will be established for Indigenous people in water management.

Stefanson said a water action plan to fulfill objectives outlined in the strategy will be developed this winter.

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Saskatchewan’s energy and resources minister said the government is making changes to help landowners collect overdue surface lease compensation from oil and gas companies.

Jim Reiter said the government is amending the Surface Rights Acquisition and Compensation Act, and the changes include giving the minister the ability to suspend the licenses of delinquent operators if Surface Rights Board of Arbitration orders is not followed.

The government said the move will better align Saskatchewan with surface rights already established in Alberta and British Columbia.

The bill is expected to pass this spring.

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The federal government is funding the creation of a certification program that will allow businesses to meet specific trade requirements.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the roughly $336,000 will support GS1 Canada in the development of training tailored to small and micro food enterprises. The project includes learning modules and a virtual portal of resources.

GS1 Canada, a not-for-profit association, plans to equip at least 200 businesses across Canada with the knowledge, tools, and experience they need to prepare for trade with different sectors, including the grocery sector, distribution, and food services.

Completion of the certification program will provide micro and small enterprises (MSE) with access to other services provided by GS1 Canada for one year.

A key component of the subscription for MSEs is ensuring their products have licensed GS1 barcodes, which are required by many Canadian retailers and distributors, as well as access to online tools to share quality and bilingual product data.

GS1 barcodes are a global standard and play an important role in supply chains and traceability.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW