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Regulation
| A Draft Regulation to
amend the Agricultural Operations Regulation
is currently the subject of a
public
consultation. |
The role of the Ministère
The ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs
(MDDEP) is committed to the sustainable development of agriculture by
maintaining environmental quality in agricultural areas and ensuring the
protection of public health.
Regulatory approaches to maintaining environmental quality
The principal provincial regulation for soil and water protection in
agricultural environments is the Agricultural Operations Regulation (REA).
Farm operators are also subject to the
Groundwater Catchment
Regulation. Other regulations deal with the use of
fertilizing
residuals
and
pesticides in agriculture.
For more information about the Agricultural Operations Regulation (REA):
History of the REA
The REA that came into force on June 14, 2002 represented a modernization
of the 1997 Regulation respecting the reduction of pollution from
agricultural sources (RRPOA).
The Regulation promotes a new approach to resolving the problem of
diffuse pollution caused by agricultural activity, particularly by achieving
a proper balance of phosphorous in the soil. This new management approach
takes account of the nutrient requirements that must be met to ensure plant
growth and is based on actual calculations of the livestock waste produced
on farms.
In addition, this Regulation lays down standards for raising facilities;
the storage, elimination, and reclamation of livestock waste; livestock
access to watercourses or bodies of water and their riparian strips;
expansion of land under cultivation in contaminated watersheds;
administrative requirements in regard to authorizations; and project notices
required by MDDEP.
A number of amendments have been made to the Regulation since 2002,
including:
- December 2002: Clarification of Sections 22 and 48 to facilitate
their application.
- November 2003: Amendments to Sections 45, 46 and 47 on maintaining
of limitations on the development of swine production.
- December 2004: Amendments to Sections 45 to 47.1 on maintaining
limitations on the development of swine production and the addition of
Sections 50.1 to 50.4 that deal with the capacity of aquatic
environments to support agricultural activities.
- October 2005: Revision of some agro-environmental standards in
Sections 8, 9, 17, 18, 22, 29, 31, 32, 48, 50, administrative relief
with respect to Sections 46 and 47 and an amendment aimed at clarifying
and updating the lists of municipalities in Sections 39, 44, 51 and in
Schedules II-V.
- September 2007: Clarification of provisions in Section 29 concerning
the spreading of fertilizing materials of specific origin on pasture
land or parcels of land where crops for human consumption are grown.
- July 2010: Amendments to a number of sections (3, 9, 16, 20, 21, 24,
26-29, 32-36, 39-44, 48-50, 55) and appendices (II to VI).
For more information
News Releases (French)
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PDF format, 1,2
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