By Alice McFarlane

Saskatchewan government to increase agriculture spending

Mar 20, 2024 | 5:59 PM

Agriculture funding in Saskatchewan will reach $570.6 million for 2024 – 2025.

In the provincial budget released Wednesday afternoon, it was announced the agriculture portfolio will increase by $22.4 million, or 4.1 per cent, from last year.

The largest portion of the agriculture budget includes $431.7 million, an increase of $23.7 million over last year, to fund federal-provincial risk management programs, including Crop Insurance and AgriStability, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Average Crop Insurance premiums and coverage for 2024 are down because of a decline in insured commodity prices. The details on the 2024 Crop Insurance Program were released earlier this month.

Crop Insurance weather-based programs now provide options to insure intercrops and additional mixed feed crops. All weather-based programs are enhanced through 38 additional weather stations, bringing the total to 224 stations across the province.

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Producers continue to deal with the effects of consecutive years of dry conditions, the budget also includes a freeze on the Crown land grazing rate at 2022 levels. Also, producers who must reduce their stocking rates on Crown grazing land due to drought will be eligible for a lease discount.

The province is contributing $2.7 million as part of an $8.2-million investment between the federal and municipal governments for rural municipalities to upgrade and replace bridges and culverts.

Funding of $38.0 million will go to strategic initiatives like agricultural research, including support for institutions that do state-of-the-art research in Saskatchewan, project funding and programs that promote the implementation of new technologies.

Another announcement made last week at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities convention was the $1.15 billion Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Expansion Project.

“Our province’s agriculture sector is the backbone of our economy while helping to feed the world through sustainable crop and livestock production,” Agriculture Minister David Marit said in a news release. “Our investments in this year’s budget support the continued competitiveness and strength of the sector.”

Despite the dry weather and lack of soil moisture last year, producers were able to harvest roughly 31 million acres and exported $20.2 billion in agri-food products.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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