AgriStability sees largest increase in Saskatchewan agriculture budget

By Ian MacKay

The AgriStability program receives the biggest boost in the new provincial agriculture budget.

The Saskatchewan agriculture budget rises six per cent to $662.7 million, up $37.4 million, according to a statement on the 2025-26 document.

“This budget protects farmers, ranchers and our agriculture industry in the face of market volatility and weather-related challenges,” Agriculture Minister David Marit said in the statement, echoing the theme of protection stressed by Finance Minister Jim Reiter, MLA for Rosetown-Delisle.

“By supporting innovation, investing in emerging technologies, strengthening market access and fully funding our suite of business-risk management programs, we are helping producers stay competitive and ready for the future,” Marit said.

The budget designates $524.3 million for business-risk management programs such as crop insurance and AgriStability, up from almost $481 million last year.

The AgriStability allocation rises to $116.3 million from $53.1 million in 2025-26 and is intended to make sure farmers “can access reliable coverage and responsive service delivery that meets the needs of their operations,” the statement said.

The program is “designed to help farm operations facing large margin declines caused by production loss, increased costs or market conditions,” a crop insurance document says.

Work to improve the processing industry receives $89.4 million through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the federal-provincial support program. The intention is to “strengthen the agri-food sector and maintain Saskatchewan’s position as a leading agri-food exporter with a growing value-added sector,” the statement said.

Research and technology receive nearly $38.3 million, about $19,000 less than budgeted last year. Of that, $37 million goes to develop new technologies and conduct state-of-the-art research in Saskatchewan, the statement said.

The money pays the salaries of key personnel at crop and livestock research labs and research chairs to advance strategic priorities and train the next generation of producers, agronomists and scientists. It also covers projects that demonstrate innovative technologies to producers and agronomists at the local level, the statement said.

The budget also fully funds animal welfare enforcement for livestock and companion animals in Saskatchewan through the newly formed Saskatchewan Animal Enforcement Agency. As well, $200,000 will go toward improving mental health services that will be available to Saskatchewan agriculture workers and their families, it said.

On April 1, the Farm Stress Line joins the National Farmer Crisis Line to provide free, confidential mental-health support and additional access to followup counselling by registered mental health clinicians with agricultural backgrounds, the statement said.

According to the budget estimates, the department spent about $726.9 million last year rather than the $625.1 million planned.

Officials intend to spend nearly $4.2 million, the same as last year, to deal with pests, while the capital budget designates close to $3.9 million for rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure and $300,000 for information technology upgrades.