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By rdnewsNOW Staff

SUPPORTS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Alberta supporting waste reduction and biogas industry with updates to agriculture act

Mar 19, 2025 | 11:07 AM

The Government of Alberta has proposed updates to the Agricultural Operations Practices Act, intended to help reduce waste, allow farmers to supplement fertilizer with organic materials and help attract job-creating investment.

This act and its regulations provide the rules and standards for all agricultural operations that handle manure and other organic materials.

The government says biodigesters already operate in the province, and the proposed changes would provide certainty for those who store and use biogas production byproducts as a nutrient source to grow crops and encourage investment in biodigester facilities.

“Alberta farmers and ranchers work hard to put good food on tables here at home and around the world. Updates to this act would provide access to additional nutrient sources to grow crops,” commented RJ Sigurdson, minister of agriculture and irrigation. “With access to abundant organic material near livestock operations, Alberta will continue to be seen as an attractive place for investment for the biogas industry. Changes would provide this emerging industry with regulatory certainty to do business, creating good jobs in rural Alberta.”

Annually, farmers, ranchers and agri-processors produce 3.4 million tonnes of organic waste, mainly from livestock manure and food processing.

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The province says these sectors have asked the government for more efficient ways to manage this waste from other farms or processors, as the current act lacks clarity on how organic material can be managed.

Alberta intends for the proposed additions to the Agricultural Operations Practices Act to allow organic waste from the agricultural sector to be diverted from landfills to biogas plants, which would use it to generate heat and electricity, or refine it into renewable gas and help support a circular economy.

“Investing in biodigesters is a win-win for both cattle feeders and the environment. These systems allow us to capture methane, reduce our environmental footprint, and turn waste into renewable energy,” explained Chad Meunier, board member of the Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association. “Biodigesters help us improve efficiency, reduce odour and contribute to Alberta’s energy independence. As cattle feeders, we’re committed to responsible resource management and see biodigesters as a critical tool for advancing sustainability in our industry.”

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Agriculture and Irrigation, Environment and Protected Areas and the Natural Resources Conservation Board currently governs this process. Elevating the MOU into legislation should provide the biogas industry with improved regulatory certainty.

Additions to the act would also allow producers to store and use digestate, the material remaining after the waste conversion process, on their farms as supplements to synthetic fertilizer, creating a more sustainable use of waste.

The act applies to livestock, including poultry, horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, bison, fur-bearing animals and domestic elk and deer. It also applies to operations that use manure to add nutrients to crops.