WHEREAS cooperative weed management areas are a successful model for RMs, their ratepayers and partnering organizations to address invasive species awareness, education, early detection, rapid response, mapping, monitoring and integrated control;

WHEREAS invasive species are not only the responsibility of ratepayers and RMs, but the province of Saskatchewan and its people; and

WHEREAS there is no core funding or support for cooperative weed management areas currently;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to provide core funding and support for cooperative weed management areas to work with landowners to address invasive species awareness, education, early detection, rapid response, mapping, monitoring, and integrated control.

Response from Honourable Bob Bjornerud, Minister of Agriculture:

Through Growing Forward funding, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture partners with SARM to administer the Agri-Environmental Group Plan – Invasive Alien Plants project. The project's budget is $100,000 per year from 2010 to 2013. Its mandate is to assist rural municipalities with the creation of CWMAs and long-term invasive weed management plans as well as provide information on invasive species awareness, education, early detection, rapid response, mapping, monitoring, and integrated control.

The Agricultural Fieldworker Policy historically included funding for weed and rat control. As of April 1, 2010, SARM took over the administration of the policy that provides $600,000 for provincial pest management. SARM has chosen to focus current Agricultural Fieldworker Policy funding exclusively on rat control.

Saskatchewan Agriculture is willing to work with SARM to discuss the development of CWMAs and/or refocus a portion of the current funding under the Agricultural Fieldworker Policy to support CWMAs and address invasive plants.