Agricultural Crown Land

The Manitoba Government encourages sustainable use of Crown land for multiple uses. Crown lands suitable for agricultural use may be leased for grazing, haying or annual cropping, depending on the authorized use and capability of the land.

Though a careful planning process, land use and watershed specialists determine how parcels of Crown land may be used, the intensity of use and how different parcels may be developed. Working together, they ensure that goals for water quality and quantity can be achieved within watershed boundaries.

Mandate: The Agricultural Crown Land Program supports the sustainable expansion of the livestock herd in Manitoba, contributes to ecological goods and services, and provides mitigation and adaptation to climate change.  

Agricultural Crown Lands are administered under the Authority of The Crown Lands Act and the Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Regulation.

 

NEW! ACL Changes Announced by Minister

On July 31, 2023. the Minister of Agriculture announced changes to further enhance the Agricultural Crown Lands Progam. Through amendments to the Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Regulation, under the Crown Lands Act, the regulatory amendments allow the program to:

  • Determine forage capacity at the outset of a forage lease or renewable permit (evaluating AUMs)
  • Expand eligibility to hold an agricultural Crown lands lease or permit to include Indigenous organizations
  • Extend terms of new leases (post October 2019) by five years to a maximum of 20 years where a forage management plan has been implemented and good land management has been demonstrated
  • Allow new leaseholders (post October 2019) to transfer the remainder of the lease term to another eligible party
  • Allow leaseholders to nominate the next leaseholder for leases issued before October 2019, provided the lease is not selected through Treaty Land Entitlement
  • Value improvements at the end of a lease through a third party appraiser

Press Release July 31, 2023

The government invited the public to provide input as part of the review of the Agricultural Crown Land Program through an EngageMB survey.
 
To review the results of the survey, visit Agricultural Crown Lands Program - Forage Leases | EngageMB.

 

ACL Permits 

Manitoba Agriculture advises that agricultural Crown lands that are not currently under lease are available to be used on a temporary (1-year) basis.

Interested producers will be required to contact a Farm Production Extension Specialist (FPES) - Crown Lands to fill out an application. Where multiple applications have been received prior to April 1st, the parcels will be allocated by draw. Remaining parcels will be allocated to first come, first served. Producers are encouraged to be familiar with the parcel prior to filling out an application. The completed application, once submitted, is considered a binding commitment to accept the permit once awarded.

To find out if parcels of land in your area are available for use, contact your local Farm Production Extension Specialist (FPES) - Crown Lands.

For any other inquiries, contact your local Farm Production Extension Specialist (FPES) - Crown Lands.

Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Auction

Manitoba Agriculture's latest Agricultural Crown Land Lease and Permit Auction took take place February 6 - 10, 2023 online at Garton's Auction Service.

Auction parcels are available for viewing on Garton's Auction Service website for 1 week prior to auction start.

For a complete list of lands available at an upcoming auction, please visit the Real Estate Services Branch online.

Visit the Leasing Program Webpage for more information about the Agriculture Crown Land Leasing Program.

ACL Temporary Rent Reduction

In response to the impacts of extreme moisture over the past two years and stakeholder feedback, the Manitoba government is implementing a temporary rent reduction over the next 3 years for forage leases and renewable hay and grazing permits on agricultural Crown lands.

Official News Release - September 28, 2022

 

Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program: Carbon Sequestration & Grasslands Resilience

The objective of the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program  (RALP) is to increase the environmental resilience of agricultural landscapes by accelerating the adoption of beneficial on-farm land use and management practices that increase carbon sequestration. These include practices that enhance provision of multiple ecological goods and services (EGS), which are the environmental benefits that result from the physical, chemical and biological processes of a healthy ecosystem. 

The Grasslands and Grazing Management BMP is available to Agriculture Crown Land forage lease holders and can increase productivity and economic gains while improving environmental benefits.

 Program Details

  • Program information and application form are found here
  • The intake for this program is currently closed.
  • Applications must be submitted by email to agriculture@gov.mb.ca

Application & Eligibility details:

  • Applicants will need a Letter of Support for the proposed project from their local Farm Production Extension Specialist (FPES) - Crown Lands and the Letter of Support must be submitted along with the application
  • An Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) is not required at time of application, however, it will be required at time of claim for approved projects
  • Approved projects must be completed between April 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024
  • All applicants must be in, and remain in good standing with the ACL program
  • Note: expenses will NOT be retroactive prior to April 1, 2023,

Online EFP

  • The EFP is now online for you to complete or renew at your convenience
  • Access the portal here:  www.ManitobaEFP.ca

Services

The Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program administers leases and permits and promotes improvement of agricultural Crown lands.

Manitoba Agriculture provides oversight of the provincial community pastures program, administered by the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures.

Manitoba Agriculture Farm Production Extension Specialists provide advice on farm production using agricultural Crown lands.

Agricultural Crown Lands Program Modernization

Program modernization is being impemented for the Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program. Amendments to the Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Regulation have been made to enable auction of agricultural Crown land leases and permits, as well as to modernize aspects of the leasing program to improve predictability, transparency and efficiency in program administration.

All new agricultural Crown lands leases and renewable permits will be allocated via an auction process.

Agricultural Crown Land Polices updated as of December 3, 2020 can be found on the Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program webpage.

Modernization Consultation History

Modernization of the Agricultural Crown Lands Program began in 2017 with the coming into force of the Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Regulation. This regulation addressed obligations of Manitoba's entry into the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, enabling those from outside of Manitoba to participate in the allocation of agricultural Crown lands.

Manitoba Agriculture held public consultations on Agricultural Crown Lands Program Modernization in 2018.

The Crown Lands Amendment Act received Royal Assent in 2018. This piece of legislation provides for the ability to protect Community Pastures through special designation, while also enabling a public auction mechanism for the allocation of agricultural leases and permits.

Following the amendment to the Act, further consultation was undertaken with key stakeholders in 2019, including an invitation for public comments to be submitted.

Based on stakeholder feedback in 2019-2020, Manitoba Agriculture pursued a renewal process for legacy forage leases and renewable permits on agricultural Crown lands. Legacy forage leases and renewable permits are those dispositions that were in place prior to October 1, 2019. The change will ensure that family farms have stability in their operations by enabling successive renewals of the legacy forage leases and renewable permits. Stakeholders reviewed the regulatory amendment proposal through the Manitoba Regulatory Consultation Portal from September through November 2020. The change will ensure that family farms have stability in their operations by enabling successive renewals of the legacy forage leases and renewable permits.

Temporary Suspension of Crown Land and Property Sales

The Manitoba Government has recently conducted an internal review of the Crown land and property sales process as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure value for money for all Manitobans.

As a result of this review, the Manitoba Government has temporarily suspended the acceptance of all applications for the purchase of Crown land or property.

Efforts are currently underway to modernize and improve the process to identify Crown land and property available for sale and to develop a fair and transparent way of communicating this information.

Applications previously received at the Real Estate Services Branch (formerly Crown Lands Property Agency) will continue to be processed.

Related Links:

Contact

For further information, please contact us at:

 

Manitoba Agriculture

Agricultural Crown Lands

PO Box 1286

Minnedosa, MB  R0J 1E0

Office: 204-867-6550

Fax: 204-867-6578

Email: agcrownlands@gov.mb.ca

or

Manitoba Agriculture, Farm Production Extension Specialists, Crown Lands District Offices