Sask. Government rejects call for special ag committee

May 8, 2026 | 10:15 AM

Saskatchewan’s government is rejecting an Opposition request to create a special legislative committee on agriculture, as concerns mount over rising costs and the financial troubles of a major farming operation.

NDP MLA Trent Wotherspoon, the party’s deputy agriculture critic, had urged the government to create the committee to examine issues including input costs, farmland ownership and the impact of creditor protection proceedings involving Monette Farms.

“Producers are facing serious challenges, and agriculture is the backbone of our economy and vital to rural communities,” Wotherspoon said. “They deserve a government that steps up and acts in their interests.”

The request was directed to Agriculture Minister Dave Marit during question period this week but was not taken up by the government.

The Opposition said the call comes at a difficult time for producers, pointing to rising fertilizer and fuel costs, as well as volatile commodity prices.

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Wotherspoon also raised concerns about farmland ownership, accusing the government of failing to adequately address illegal foreign ownership and increasing consolidation by large investment firms.

The issue has been heightened by financial difficulties at Monette Farms, a large-scale operation that has entered into creditor protection. The farm had previously been cited by Premier Scott Moe and the agriculture minister as an example of the sector’s future direction.

“In addition to the creditor protection of this mega farm, this is also a time where producers are facing skyrocketing input costs,” Wotherspoon said.

He said a special committee would allow producers and industry groups to provide input directly to legislators at a critical time for the sector.

“This is a critical time for producers and agriculture in our province, and we should be working directly with them,” he said.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

by Pattison Media

Sask. Government rejects call for special ag committee

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