Like many RMs in the province the R.M. of Rudy has declared a disaster due to drought..and is looking to the provincial and federal governments to provide disaster relief. Administrator, Trent Sim says they have both farmers and ranchers in the RM.

The crops aren’t growing because of the drought for those who don’t have irrigation and then came the grasshopper infestation. Cattle producers without irrigation are calling those who have it in hopes of finding some feed. Sim says there is a stark difference between the farms and ranches that have irrigation and those that don’t.

The western edge of the RM of Rudy backs on the the South Saskatchewan River in the Outlook area. Sim says the water supply is there, but the base infrastructure is needed for more irrigation.

The RM’s Council states that for real, lasting protection from drought disaster, government must take action quickly and commit to funding the irrigation expansion plan for the region. Three years ago, the province announced $4 billion to expand irrigation through Lake Diefenbaker.

Recently, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation announced doubling the Low Yield Appraisal threshold levels, which means more acres of low-yielding cereal, pulse crops, canola and flax can be diverted to feed. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association is asking producers in areas of drought to consider this program from SCIC to support the livestock sector and make these crops available for feed.