Saskatchewan is making it easier for cattle to move across the Alberta border for summer grazing.Few cattle that move west ever return to Saskatchewan; most are headed for slaughter in Alberta.In comparison, more than 20,000 cattle from northwest Alberta in particular spend the summer in Saskatchewan.Cameron Wilk, provincial field services manager with Saskatchewan Agriculture, said producers are still required to pay the $1.65 inspection fee when cattle move but will receive a refund for the full amount when the cattle return home.He said only about 20 producers move cattle back and forth in a typical year.“Our grazing rates here are pretty reasonable,” he said.Alberta’s agriculture department announced in February it would cover the cost of livestock inspection fees for cattle going to graze in either Saskatchewan or British Columbia.It provided a $25,000 grant to Livestock Identification Services to pay for the inspection. Previously, producers paid $1 per head and received a 50 cent refund when the cattle returned to Alberta.Wilk said there were always exceptions made during situations such as drought. Both provinces waive the fees on operations that span the border.Inspection is required to establish proof of ownership and producers who move cattle without an inspection could be fined.
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