WHEREAS portions of our province have had no significant spring run-off in three successive years; and

WHEREAS livestock feed supplies are sparse and expensive;

BE IT RESOLVED that Provincial and Federal Governments be petitioned to assist cattle producers with emergency water and feed supplies.

Response from Honourable Bob Bjornerud, Minister of Agriculture:

The Government of Saskatchewan is aware of the financial pressures facing the cattle industry. To help address these challenges, we introduced the largest education property tax reduction in the province’s history, a $53 million province-wide Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program and a $71 million Cattle and Hog Support Program (CHSP). The CHSP provided a direct payment of $40 per cow and bred heifer to Saskatchewan producers. We have repeatedly asked the federal government to provide a $60 per head payment to top up this program.

We have also deferred principal payments for producers in the Short-Term Cattle Loan and Livestock Loan Guarantee Programs.

Other initiatives introduced by our government to support cattle producers include the Gopher Control Rebate Program, the Voluntary Livestock Traceability Rebate, the Coyote Control Program, and the Agricultural Crown Land Sale Program.

Our government will continue working with the industry and our federal/provincial/territorial counterparts to address the challenges facing livestock producers.