Additional payments coming to Sask. livestock farmers through feed program

More money is coming to drought-stricken producers enrolled in the 2023 Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program.

The federal-provincial program was launched in October to help maintain Saskatchewan’s breeding herd after many parts of the province were hit hard by drought, causing issues with both water and feed supplies.

While the program’s initial payments were prorated to a maximum of 75 per cent to ensure all eligible producers could quickly receive necessary support, the remaining 25 per cent will soon be issued to those who applied and were deemed eligible ahead of the March 15 deadline.

A total of 3,486 producers applied under the program.

David Marit, Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister, said the payments will help those hit hardest by dry conditions.

“Producers within the designated regions, as originally guided by the Canadian Drought Monitor map, will receive a top-up of up to $50 per head,” the provincial government explained in a statement. “Applicants that were in the provincial-only area will receive a top-up of up to $20 per head.”

Producers can expect to receive the top-up “in the coming weeks,” the government noted.

Ray Orb, head of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said producers appreciate the extra help to offset their drought-related costs.

“SARM values the ongoing commitment from both levels of senior government to Saskatchewan agriculture,” Orb said in a statement.

While the province may not experience as bad a drought year in 2024, parts of Saskatchewan are bracing for another dry season. The Water Security Agency has warned that a number of reservoirs in southwestern Saskatchewan aren’t expected to fill up.