MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – Mountain View County council has been updated on two planned initiatives aimed at helping local producers with the spring harvest.
One initiative involves the introduction of road ban exemptions specific to the agriculture industry and the other involves the communication of best practices and regulations for producers who choose to burn crop residue.
The fall 2019 crop year saw cool temperatures, snow and excess moisture resulting in halting or complicating of harvest activities, council heard during a recent council meeting.
“The remaining crops are now snow covered,” Jane Fulton, assistant director of legislative, community and agricultural services said in a briefing note to council. “Spring harvest of any standing crop or in swathes will face losses to both yield and quality. Cleaning up the acres left out in the spring will be no small task.
“Producers will be evaluating options that could include harvesting, bailing, grazing, mowing, chopping, residue stacking, tillage, harrowing or burning.”
Harvesting of crops is expected to take place across the county in the coming months.
“In order to assist (with that spring harvesting) county administration is planning to provide a road ban exemption of 90 per cent for the agricultural industry this spring to assist with getting the crops off in a timely manner
“The intent of this industry-wide road ban exemption is to allow for the transportation of harvested grain, baled feed and bedding materials from the fields to the producer’s base of operations or directly to market.”
The exemption will be in effect until June 5 when road bans are scheduled to come off.
Should a section of roadway begin to degrade or create a hazard, operational services may impose bans.
The county is planning to provide agricultural producers in the municipality with information on the county’s burning policies and rules.
“The county respects that some producers may be required to burn crop residue (this spring) and wants to make sure that this can be done in a safe manner for all landowners and conducted with consultation of their local fire department county fire guardian to ensure that appropriate mitigation techniques are undertaken and the fire departments are properly engaged through a simplified burn plan,” Fulton said in her briefing note.
Producers should ensure they contact their neighbours and any fire department officials before burning, council heard.
The county’s best practices and regulations for burning crop residue is available on the county’s website.
