The strychnine conversation continues

As the current farming season draws to a close, Richardson ground squirrels (RGS) continue to make their presence known – especially since their main foe, strychnine, has been pulled off the market.  

In an ongoing debate that sees conservationists advocating for chemical-free pest methods that don’t harm wildlife and ag professionals seeking to protect their yields, everyone is choosing sides.  

On Sept 4, John Barlow, conservative shadow minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food, showed where the Conservatives stood on the issue by releasing a strongly worded statement calling on the federal government to approve the emergency use of strychnine for provinces that request it. 

He started his statement by noting how, in 2020, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) cancelled the registration of strychnine and all associated end-use products used to control Richardson’s ground squirrels (RGS) for sale and use in Canada. 

“Since then, farmers and rural municipalities across the Prairies have been sounding the alarm about the devastating agricultural impacts of uncontrolled RGS populations. The loss of strychnine has led to widespread infestations, with municipalities reporting severe damage to cropland and pastureland,” the Minister notes. “In 2024 alone, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) paid $10.6 million in gopher-related claims, covering 123,000 acres with average losses of $86 per acre. SCIC data from 2020–2024 shows a sustained and significant cost trend due to gopher damage, with indemnities totalling over $44 million over five years.” 

He also noted that an Alberta municipality reported its worst RGS infestation in 10 years.