In an effort to ensure long-term prosperity for farmers and the entire value chain, last year our government announced it would be re-focusing its priorities within the agriculture sector.  Among the changes announced was an end to the Community Pastures Program.

The Community Pastures Program was started in the 1930s when the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) was created to reclaim badly eroded areas as the prairies were experiencing severe fiscal restraints during the Great Depression.  Until this year, 85 pastures were operated under the program, including 60 in Saskatchewan. 

The transition of the Community Pastures from federal management will begin at the end of this grazing season.  Approximately 90 per cent of the pasture land is owned by the provinces, and the federal government is working with the governments of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to transition the land to users with a more direct interest.   The Government of Saskatchewan has stated that it will not resume operation of the Community Pastures once the land is transitioned back to the Province.  Instead, it will sell or lease the land to pasture patrons.

Using the flexibility of Growing Forward, the federal government along with the Province of Saskatchewan have made available up to $120,000 per pasture patron group, to help with the assumption of pasture operations.  The funding will be used to help the patrons establish business plans, form legal entities and access training, and will be provided under the Saskatchewan Farm Business Development initiative.  The Province is also committed to working with the pasture patrons to ensure those groups will lease or purchase the pastures – the land will not be sold to the highest bidder.

At the end of the 2013 grazing season, 10 Saskatchewan and five Manitoba pastures will be transitioned out of federal management.  These include:

• Park – North Battleford
• Fariview – Rosetown
• Newcombe – Rosetown
• Lone Tree – Swift Current
• Wolverine – Watrous
• McCraney – Watrous
• Ituna Bon Accord – Foam Lake
• Excel – Weyburn
• Keywest – Weyburn
• Estevan-Cambria – Weyburn

All Community Pastures will be transitioned to the Provinces and patron-controlled operation by 2018.

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The audio version of Garry's Feb. 18, 2013 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here