The use of two percent liquid strychnine in Saskatchewan’s war on gophers will continue for another year.
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency has approved the province’s application to extend the emergency registration of the rodenticide until July 31, 2009.
“It’s a tool we need to have available for us when we need it,” said Doug Davidson, who farms near Ponteix.
He said if it had been available earlier, the problem wouldn’t have become so bad. Producers could have treated isolated pockets immediately, he said.
At times, fields in the southwest have been so infested that the ground appears to be moving, he said. Several years of drought didn’t help.
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Davidson said there seemed to be less gopher activity after using the strychnine for one year.
“We haven’t got the gophers under control yet, but it is helping quite a bit,” he said.
Some people oppose the use of concentrated strychnine because it can kill other animals or those that eat the dead gophers.
Davidson said he has not noticed a large number of dead animals other than gophers. He said badgers are “digging like crazy” and he has seen more weasels than ever before.
Farmers aren’t careless with the poison, he added, because it is expensive and deadly.
He spent $5,000 on strychnine last year, plus an equal amount in time and labour to set it out.
Saskatchewan has a rebate program that will reimburse half of the cost of strychnine or other control products bought and used between Aug. 1, 2007, and Oct. 1, 2008. Producers have until Jan. 30, 2009, to apply.
Davidson said the rebate helps, but would be more helpful if it was available at the time of purchase.
Farmers should contact their rural municipal office to access strychnine. One hundred seventy-one RMs are eligible to distribute the product.
