BRUCE BUMSTEAD/BRANDON SUN
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Acropolis Warehousing terminal manager Kurt Heinrichs sorts a collection of farm pesticides and chemicals dropped off during the CleanFarms Manitoba campaign on Tuesday.
For the first time in Manitoba, farmers are being invited to bring in both unwanted agricultural pesticides as well as food animal medications for safe disposal at participating ag retail locations.
CleanFARMS, a national industry-led agricultural waste stewardship organization, has collected obsolete pesticides twice before in the province but this year it has partnered with the Canadian Animal Health Institute to include food animal medications for the first time.
"CleanFARMS is pleased to bring this program back to Manitoba and provide an environmentally safe way for farmers to dispose of their unwanted or obsolete agricultural pesticides," said Barry Friesen, general manager of CleanFARMS.
"It’s a great addition to partner with the Canadian Animal Health Institute this year and collect food animal medications," he says.
The collection campaign, which comes at no cost to farmers, began Tuesday and runs through Thursday at various Westman locations.
While the obsolete pesticide collection program is already well established, this year’s partnership between CleanFARMS and CAHI is a step toward establishing sustainable collection options for all agricultural waste products in the future.
"It is important that we provide producers with a simple, one-stop collection point for both pesticides and animal medications. This program enables just that," said Jean Szkotnicki, president of the Canadian Animal Health Institute.
The province also provided support for the program.
"An innovative program like this helps farmers better manage waste on their farms while protecting the environment," said Gord Mackintosh, Manitoba’s minister of conservation and water stewardship.
As part of this project, farmers will be able to bring their obsolete pesticides and food animal medications to one of 20 collection sites across the province for safe and environmentally responsible disposal.
The Westman sites include:
• Birtle, Twin Valley Co-op
• Brandon, Acropolis Warehousing Inc.
• Dauphin, Dauphin Co-op
• Inglis, Jacksons Seed
• Killarney, Paterson Grain
• Neepawa, Redfern Farm Services Ltd.
• Reston, Viterra
• Virden, Valleyview Co-op
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Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition October 24, 2012
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