Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) agreement, the Federal and Provincial governments have committed to invest $3.15 million in the Pest Biosecurity Program for the remainder of CAP to March 31, 2023. SARM will continue to deliver this program and administer a network of Plant Health Officers (PHO) across the province along with three rebate programs based on a 50:50 cost-share, one each focused on invasive plant control, rat control and nuisance beaver control.
SARM continues to administer the Plant Health Network program aimed to provide a human capacity component.
The purpose of the Plant Health Network is to establish human resources in each of SARM’s 6 Divisions, and to provide support to RMs and First Nations south of the Northern Administrative District that are dealing with a variety of agricultural crop pest issues. The CAP-PHN is fully funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership agreement to a maximum for $715,000 (April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023) direct support, education, training to RMs, and their municipally appointed officers, as well as First Nations on how best to manage the agricultural crop pests and prohibited and noxious weeds that all landowners are required to manage under The Pest Control Act and The Weed Control Act in Saskatchewan.
Each SARM Division employs a full-time Plant Health Officer (PHO) who will develop, promote and implement best practices within their division to proactively identify, monitor and assist in the control of invasive/emerging threats to plant biosecurity in agriculture with the goal of developing more comprehensive and uniform control strategies across the Province.
Working closely with SARM and the Ministry of Agriculture, PHOs are a front-line dedicated resource in place to educate, assist, support and advise elected and appointed officials, support staff and producers with ongoing and emerging crop biosecurity issues. The scope of their work includes all pests declared under The Pest Control Act and as well as prohibited/noxious weeds designated under The Weed Control Act of Saskatchewan.
With training in the field of agrology, PHOs focus on educating RMs and FNBs on how best to undertake their powers and responsibilities in accordance with Saskatchewan legislation respecting pest control and weed control, provide education, training and support to appointed Pest Control Officers and Weed Inspectors and, under the guidance of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, survey and report on agricultural crop pests and prohibited/noxious weeds occurrences.
Refer to the CAP-PHN Program Guidelines for detailed information on the role of PHOs and how they can assist you. Additionally you can contact the PHO located in your SARM Division.
Plant Health Officers
Tayo Adegeye, Division 1
division1pho@gmail.com or 306-580-8708
Joanne Kwasnicki, Division 2
joanne.kwasnicki@gmail.com or 306-541-8437
Betty Johnson, Division 3
bettyjohnson0025@gmail.com or 306-315-3925
Katey Makohoniuk, Division 4
katey.makohoniuk@gmail.com or 306-594-7683
Chelsea Neuberger, Division 5
chelsea.baraniecki@gmail.com or 306-380-4526
Colleen Fennig, Division 6
colleen.fennig@gmail.com or 306-946-9895
Contact
PBP Contact Sheet and SARM Division Map
Annette Ellert, Programs Administrator
aellert@sarm.ca or 306-761-3744