Updated legislation will accommodate unique scheduling needs of farmers and municipalities
By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Manitoba farmers will have a more reliable fuel supply, thanks to changes in provincial legislation.
The modernization of fuel storage rules will support the unique scheduling needs of farmers and municipalities across the province, a Government of Manitoba release said on Monday.
“The rules around fuel storage were out of date. This change will help fuel distributors, retailers and agricultural producers by removing unnecessary redundant requirements,” Rochelle Squires, Manitoba’s minister of sustainable development, said in the release.
Previous regulations limited when consumers could use seasonal blended fuel, the release said. Now, distributors can have seasonal fuel supplies on-hand for farmers in time for planting season.
These updated regulations will allow producers to “secure their bulk fuel (needed) for seeding in the winter before the road weight restrictions (are implemented) and during a period when they are less busy,” James Battershill, general manager of Keystone Agricultural Producers, said to Farms.com today.
“It will allow (the province) to maintain the status quo, more than anything. It has been a service standard that farmers (be) able to secure their supply of summer diesel when it’s convenient for them.”
Following the province’s red tape review, officials found that the province’s fuel quality standards were redundant since Canadian fuel standards have modernized over the years, the release said.
These changes will prevent unnecessary restrictions on private-sector activity, Squires said.
“Not only will this (update) benefit Co-op’s agriculture customers, but it will reduce the risk for fuel outages and road damage prior to spring road bans across the province,” Cal Fichter, vice-president of energy with Federated Co-operatives Limited, said in the release.
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