Keystone Agricultural Producers, which represents the province's farmers, is hoping the Manitoba Municipal Board will force Steinbach to scale back its annexation plans. Steinbach is in the process of attempting to expand its western and northern boundaries by about 7,400 acres in a friendly agreement with the RM of Hanover.

KAP executive director James Battershill says the plan would take prime farmland out of production. He suggests that Steinbach should instead be expanding to the south and east where the quality of farm land is not as

James Battershillgood.

"It should certainly be looking south and east into those lower class lands. But we think the scope of the proposed annexation is out of line as well. They're looking at, potentially, a 50-year supply of land, based on a relatively short period of high growth. We think it's much more appropriate and much more in line with other planning priority systems to look at a 20 year time frame."

Battershill also says a number of their members in and near the proposed annexation area are being affected by the plan.

"The challenge that we face is that a lot of those operations that were immediately surrounding and within the annexation area are livestock operations. We know of numerous instances where young farmers had just started the succession planning process with their parents, were just starting to take over, and were, potentially, making expansion plans. The viability of those expansion plans has really come into question even if the plan to use their particular land, or the land that they require for spread acres, isn't until 50 years into the future. Certainly bankers and lenders are going to be concerned about providing additional resources to an operation that may or may not be viable because of the new area that they sit within."

Battershill emphasizes KAP is not opposed to planned expansion of urban areas but feels it needs to be done in a way that benefits both communities and their neighbouring farmers.

"We really think that the Manitoba Municipal Board should be taking the concerns that we outlined seriously and ask the City of Steinbach to scale back its annexation proposal and really look at moving a portion of it to lower-valued land south of the city."