Saskatchewan Pastures Program

Last Updated: January 2007

Objectives:

The Saskatchewan Pastures Program (SPP) offers supplemental grazing on an equitable basis to Saskatchewan livestock producers.

The SPP promotes environmental and agricultural sustainability of marginal Crown lands through good range land planning and forage management.

Overview

The program has been in operation since 1922, with a primary focus of supporting livestock producers through the provision of summer grazing on Crown lands on a fee for service basis. Livestock are managed by professional employees, hired by the ministry, with particular skills in livestock care and handling and pasture and range management.

Most pastures operate from mid-May to mid-October, with the numbers of livestock grazing on each pasture dependent on the pasture size and the available forage. Grazing privileges are assigned each fall for the following year, based on an application process that gives priority to existing patrons and producers with smaller operations.

Advisory boards, made up of, and elected by, the pasture patrons, are established at each pasture to work with and provide advice to ministry staff on local issues. Breeding services are provided at all pastures through patron run programs.

To ensure that the pasture's productivity is maintained, improvement and maintenance are ongoing and include: brush clearing; weed control; fire guarding; forage seeding and rejuvenation; provision of good quality, permanent water supplies; and construction and maintenance of livestock handling facilities.

Some pastures are operated year round and provide wintering for bulls that are used in the program.

The pastures also provide areas for a variety of non-agricultural activities, such as hunting, tourism, mineral extraction, oil and gas exploration and development, research, recreation, and preservation of archeological and historical sites. Pasture managers and regional staff work with the various users to ensure economic and environmental sustainability is maintained.

SPP pastures have always been important as wildlife habitat, and for maintaining the environmental integrity and diversity of the landscape. Pastures provide year round habitat for wildlife, including endangered species, such as the burrowing owl, piping plover and ferruginous hawk. SPP is strengthening its partnership with organizations such as Saskatchewan Environment, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation and other conservation organizations interested in protecting and conserving habitat and biodiversity. Ducks Unlimited has developed wetland projects in co-operation with SPP to enhance duck production and strengthen the environmental focus and management of the local ecosystem, while maintaining sustainable grazing as the prime objective. Saskatchewan Pastures have been recognized as contributing to the Saskatchewan Representative Areas Network.

This integrated approach to pasture management ensures patrons will have access to healthy Crown lands and the public will benefit from the use of these lands for generations to come.

Maps of all community pastures in your area are available in the Community Pastures Map Guide.