Results are in for the Sask. Ministry of Agriculture's 2023 Public Trust Survey

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture has conducted polling since 2013 with the aim of gaining insight into the public’s perception of the agriculture and agri-food industry. Results help assess the impact of efforts taken to build the trust of the public and to establish benchmarks for proposed future initiatives in the industry.

In the 2023 Public Trust Survey conducted by Insightrix Research, 801 Saskatchewan residents were asked to state their perception of agricultural practices in the province.

Survey results

When survey participants were asked if they have a positive perception of agriculture in Saskatchewan, 83 per cent agreed or strongly agreed, with nine per cent in disagreement. This result is the lowest since 2013, whereas the highest amount of support was given in 2020 at 91 per cent.

When asked if participants knew where to find credible information about agriculture and food, 61 per cent agreed or strongly agreed, whereas nearly one in five (18 per cent) said they didn’t know. Respondents in the South region were more likely to agree.

When asked if farmers and ranchers in Saskatchewan are good stewards of the land, 74 per cent agreed or strongly agreed compared to 12 per cent who disagreed or strongly disagreed.

When asked if the government’s agricultural regulations protect the interests of the public, 51 per cent agreed in 2023, making it the lowest in the past five years and public support appears to be trending down.

When asked about support for the use of crop protection products that include herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, 67 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed, whereas 21 per cent disagreed. Male participants and those with annual incomes exceeding $60,000 were most likely to agree, whereas female participants and those with Indigenous ancestry were least likely to agree.

Three questions were new in this year’s survey. Question nine asked participants if they felt Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers are seeking to continually improve, with 74 per cent in agreement. Question 10 asked if companies making products from Saskatchewan-grown agricultural goods are seeking to continually improve, with 71 per cent in agreement and five per cent in strong disagreement.