The Manitoba Liberal Party has laid out its agenda for agriculture heading into next month's provincial election.

Terry Hayward, Liberal candidate for Lac du Bonnet, took part in an agriculture debate held this week in Winnipeg.

The following comments were part of Hayward's opening statement:

"Co-operation with the federal government is critical in bringing stability, research and development to the sector in Manitoba. The Manitoba Liberal Party will work closely with Manitoba producers to ensure that they have improved Business Risk Management tools to weather market and climate changes. Producers will see their concerns over education tax on their farmlands addressed in the already announced Liberal tax review initiative. Producers and land owners will benefit from the Manitoba Liberal Party focus on climate change and the environment with focus on soil health, water quality, land management practices, such as installation of tile drainage systems on their land. As well, producers are recognized by the Manitoba Liberal Party as some of the leaders in protecting our environment. The way the improvements to their land management systems are going, we need to also find ways to measure this help to the environment that producers are giving us. We've got forage producers, they're helping, just the way they manage their forage lands. We've got zero-till producers, that's finally caught on after many, many decades of trial and error...We have farmers as well who plant trees, and we do know that trees help in alleviating climate problems."

Hayward also talked about the Liberal's plan for food and food security and safety:

"The Manitoba Liberal Party 'buy local' initiative through farmers markets, direct-from-farm marketing and promoting more Manitoba food products on store shelves are key elements to be expanded by a Manitoba Liberal government. Investment in on-farm food processing and expanding Manitoba's capacity to process foods to meet federal inspection standards will be encouraged through the Manitoba Liberal Party Manitoba Investment Bank initiative. We grow a lot of food that needs to find homes outside of Manitoba and federal standards are critical, we need to work with the federal government in ensuring they're the correct standards for our international trading partners and that we can meet them, we know we can. We also need to replace waste food with food donations. From large stores and supermarkets, a Manitoba Liberal government will enact a law to divert unsold edible food products from landfills to charitable organizations and food banks. Millions of dollars of unsold food ends up in landfills with some living in poverty, or on the streets going hungry. Diverting edible foods will reduce waste and improve nutrition for the vulnerable. A province-wide program encouraging the diversion of food waste, that is not edible to compost facilities will be put in place."

Hayward outlined how the Manitoba Liberal Party would address food and agriculture trade.

"Manitoba Liberal Party will work closely with producers, the federal government, and exporters, to ensure constant interruptions to international trade do to 'so-called' phytosanitary issues...quite often they're, in my opinion, made up phytosanitary problems. We need to get in there quickly and resolve them so that Manitoba can take advantage of the various trade agreements that are in place and that we as Manitobans can participate in developing new trade agreements."

Manitobans go to the polls on September 10, 2019.