Southwestern Saskatchewan grain farmers ask for drought relief

Grain farmers in southwestern Saskatchewan are pleading for crop insurance changes as they deal with their ninth consecutive year of drought.

Quinton Jacksteit, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Big Stick, and councillor Tyson Jacksteit said Aug. 27 they don’t like to beg, but something has to be done. At a news conference with the Saskatchewan NDP, the men said they are seeing yields of three to 10 bushels per acre on what they are able to combine.

They said their reference margins are so low that recent AgriStability improvements won’t help.

Big Stick was the first RM to declare a drought emergency this year, and others have done the same.

Tyson Jacksteit said they met with crop insurance but haven’t heard anything for more than a month.

Deputy agriculture critic Trent Wotherspoon and municipal affairs critic Erika Ritchie called on the provincial government to form a drought action committee, including producers. Ritchie said the committee would work to improve business risk management programs and emergency measures.

Ritchie said the livestock tax deferral should be a 10-year program.

Also Aug. 27, agriculture minister Daryl Harrison announced the implementation of the Crown Grazing Lease Rental Reduction Program for this grazing season.

Under the program, lessees who had to reduce the number of grazing animals on crown leases can apply for a rent reduction. The reduction must be 20 per cent or more, compared to the approved carrying capacity of the land. The deadline to apply is Oct. 31.

The program was also in place for 2023 and 2024.