The Saskatchewan Government only released part of its Provincial Budget focusing on the spending estimates, given the unusual circumstances we are in with COVID19.
The revenue forecast will come later but spending estimates totalling $14.15 billion were announced.
Rick Burton, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, says the budget earmarks $368.9 million for Agriculture.
“A new initiative in this year's budget will be an increase of $5 million to the Ministry of Agriculture to identify irrigation opportunities within the province, particularly around the West Side Irrigation project and potentially the Qu’Appelle South project.”
Aaron Gray, Chair of the Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association, is pleased to see the Province investing in Irrigation.
“It is potentially opening up new markets and a processing facility and stuff like that on the long term, but for the short term, it's kind of a spark in the horizon saying that we might have another project starting up. That would be just fantastic for producers in the Moose Jaw, Lake Diefenbaker area and the West Side as well.”
Gray says he’d like to see the money used to identify which irrigation project to start first and get it underway.
Overall, the Agriculture spending estimates in the Provincial Budget are down $22 million or nearly 6% due to drops BRM program costs.
Burton emphasizes the budget allows for continued funding of the CAP programs which includes fully funding all the Business Risk Management programs that we operate in the Province.
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