Saskatchewan agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud said he and his officials are monitoring the drought and are already helping those affected.
Last week NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter called on the province for a plan to help cattle producers who don’t have feed or pasture.
He said producers need to know if they can expect help getting hay or water to their cattle.
“We’re calling on the provincial government to act quickly and have a plan in place, and not wait until we get into the potential of a full blown crisis before we have an action plan,” he said.
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Bjornerud said the province is acting already.
Speaking to reporters at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show, he said about 100,000 acres of crown land were to be opened up June 22 to help provide extra grazing land.
He also noted the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation increased the establishment benefit this year.
“We’re watching it very closely,” he said. “I find it really hypocritical of Mr. Lingenfelter to be hollering all of a sudden, when he was the deputy premier for so many years and really didn’t do much for farmers.”
Bjornerud will get a first-hand look at the conditions this week when he travels through the west-central region.
He wants to see the region before he heads to the federal-provincial meeting so that he can pass concerns on to federal minister Gerry Ritz. Ritz’s own constituency is in the drought area.
Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Greg Marshall said the organization has been discussing the situation with Bjornerud and believes federal programs should be able to help grain and cattle producers.
He said reports from APAS representatives indicate the situation is bad.
“I’ve heard it described as though somebody went and sprayed Roundup across the entire country. It sounds rather dire.”
Lingenfelter also issued a call for federal help for pork producers.
Bjornerud said the final cheques for the cattle and hog support program went out last week. The program paid out about $67 million of the $71 million budgeted.
