The Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association and Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. will hold joint meetings with producers next year
Saskatchewan’s two irrigation organizations are considering a merger.
The Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association, which focuses on policy and development, and the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp., which focuses on research and agronomic practices, have been exploring that idea for the last year.
They intend to hold joint meetings next year with a final decision possible at the annual general meetings of the two next December.
SIPA chair Joel VanderSchaaf said both organizations passed resolutions last year to look at becoming one entity.
“We’ve seen some general constraints with regard to trying to sustain two organizations for a relatively small industry,” he said at the association’s recent annual general meeting.
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“We see combining our powers to be a more unified voice, a more powerful tool, essentially a more efficient and, I guess, potent voice for irrigation in the province.”
Both boards have had challenges finding members, and they said many larger commodity groups have integrated their research and advocacy sides.
A subcommittee identified potential cost savings of more than $15,000 a year.
VanderSchaaf said while most are receptive to the idea, some members are concerned that they will be taking on too much.
ICDC vice-chair Anthony Eliason said members of his organization have a similar attitude.
“Our feeling right now is yes, there’s definitely benefits to amalgamation,” he said.
“Until we finalize our discussions and do a couple of joint meetings, where we can see if we can get through a whole agenda, we’ll find out from there.”
Another concern is how the budget would be separated for policy and research. SIPA currently assesses a 40 cents per acre membership fee while ICDC collects $1 per acre.
The subcommittee has suggested that most of the money should continue to go toward research until irrigation acres increase.
Only about 340,000 Saskatchewan acres are irrigated, but there is potential for more than 1.5 million acres, according to SIPA.
As well, only about one-third of those acres are in irrigation districts.
The province gives $100,000 a year to ICDC to compensate for the lack of research levy from non-district irrigators, but that could change in the future.
“The province has essentially said that the responsibility for this going forward will fall into the hands of ICDC,” said VanderSchaaf.
However, Eliason said ICDC doesn’t have an up to date list of non-district irrigators because of privacy legislation, and that has to be worked out before ICDC could consider administering the levy.
Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart introduced amendments to the 21-year-old Irrigation Act last fall, but the legislation has since been withdrawn.
Jason Drury, the ministry’s irrigation manager, said there wasn’t enough support for the bill, and more consultation will take place.
Most of the concern centred on fears about increased costs and liability to irrigation districts. The government wants to transfer irrigation assets to the districts, but farmers worry about what they would be taking on.
“The ministry is still proceeding with doing the legwork required to transfer irrigation assets in five irrigation districts in the latter part of 2018,” Drury said.
VanderSchaaf said farmers are nervous and say that if that happens there should be continued support from government because irrigation benefits go far beyond the farmgate.
Next fall is the earliest the government would reintroduce legislation.
