News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

December 13, 2017

Manitoba Modernizing Access to Agricultural Crown Lands to Meet Commitments to New West Partnership Trade Agreement



New regulations will update Manitoba’s approach to managing agricultural Crown lands to ensure compliance with the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, with changes that will provide more transparency to farmers and ranchers, Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced today.

“Signing onto the New West Partnership was a priority for our government and we proudly delivered on that immediately after taking office,” said Eichler.  “Modernizing access to agricultural Crown lands helps fulfil our commitment to this agreement by modernizing the way these lands are allocated and providing greater transparency.  We look forward to refining these changes in consultation with our producers.”

The new Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Regulation will amalgamate two separate regulations related to forage leases, hay and grazing permits, and cropping leases.  It will change how producers will acquire Crown lands for grazing and haying from the current model to a new tendering system.  This will be consistent with how agricultural Crown land is accessed for other uses, like growing crops, and will ensure prices paid by producers more accurately reflect the market value of these leases and permits, the minister added.

Eichler noted industry consultations will be held in the coming year, with the shift to a tendering system for all agricultural Crown lands expected to be in place for fall 2018.

For more information about agricultural Crown lands in Manitoba, visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/land/crown-land.

- 30 -