Saskatchewan ag minister says the leasing fee is fair 
and he may provide money for noxious weed control
DAVIDSON, Sask. — The organization that represents most of the federal pastures switching over to patron administration says grazing costs will be too high and patrons are taking on too much risk.
The Community Pasture Patron Association of Saskatchewan wants changes to the lease agreements its members are signing with the province and told agriculture minister Lyle Stewart that at a January meeting.
“We asked for some movement on the question of risk,” said chair Ian McCreary after the association’s Jan. 30 annual general meeting.
“We asked for some movement on the question of the non-reversionary lands and we asked for some movement on the question of cost because our costs are out of line and we’re being asked to take on a business proposition that is very, very questionable.”
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Patrons are concerned about the liability they will assume if pastures have species at risk or noxious weeds, as well as access issues for hunters and birdwatchers.
Non-reversionary land is a problem because it will stay in federal government hands for the time being.
Patrons have been granted licence to occupy and use the land under an agreement between the province and Ottawa, but McCreary said the possibility of losing an asset affects producers’ business plans.
He said cost is the most difficult issue.
Cattle prices are good right now, but the margin is only $50 a cow, he added. As well, grazing costs of $1 to $1.25 per animal unit month per day are just too high when compared to 87 cents in Manitoba and a maximum of 70 cents in Alberta.
McCreary said he was optimistic that the province would make changes to help patrons be successful.
“Now the question is, are they really committed to patrons or is this just a process we’re all going through?” McCreary said. “Because I’ve got better things to do with my time if this is just a song and dance process for political reasons.”
Stewart said reduced rent or grants in lieu of taxes on the pastures are not in the cards.
“We are charging the same rent to patrons’ groups that we are charging to individuals that rent other Crown grazing land,” he said.
It averages 27 cents per day. Patrons will be responsible to pay municipal taxes just as other crown leaseholders are, he said.
However, Stewart said he might consider helping patrons deal with noxious weeds by holding Ottawa’s feet to the fire on the issue before the land transfers and by allocating some of the money available for pasture transition to weed control.
He also said federal and provincial officials were scheduled to meet Feb. 4 to further discuss the thorny question of non-reversionary land. He expects it could be years before the issue is sorted out, and in the meantime patrons will have the assurance of the licence to occupy and 90 days of notice if they have to vacate the land.
