Welcome to the July edition of Agriview+
Minister's Message
It’s been said that agriculture is the grandfather of economic sectors in Saskatchewan. Certainly, it’s one of our biggest and most economically impactful industries. In this issue of Agriview, you’ll discover some aspects of it that often go overlooked but are fundamental to its continued growth and success which impacts us all.
This year is the 15th anniversary of our agriculture extension services established in 10 regional offices around the province. The term “extension” refers to extending advice and information to producers through our teams of specialists who can help improve your operations or connect you with the programs that are right for you. Our goal has always been to ensure that we’re not only providing valuable services to our agriculture producers, but doing it in the best way possible—at the community level, where producers live and work. That’s exactly where it can make the most difference, and that’s what our Regional Services team does every day and has been doing since 2009.
Last year alone, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Moose Jaw and our other regional offices responded to a total of nearly 12,000 inquiries through telephone, email, text, office visits and farm calls. That tells us we’re doing something right when it comes to providing the support you need, when you need it—for example, through beneficial management practices (BMPs) under the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program. You can find out more about those valuable incentives in this issue.
You can also read about Marleigh Mann, who received $6,000 toward her post-secondary studies as this year’s winner of the Agriculture Student Scholarship, and the runners-up—Clare Wever, Katie Moyle and Madalynn Anderson—who each received $3,000. As noted above, agriculture is one of our biggest industries, and as such many of us in this province have a personal or professional connection to it. Countless families, businesses and communities across the province share this connection and rely on it, like our government relies on it for some of our key economic targets for the future growth of Saskatchewan.
These young individuals are the face of that future, and it’s clear our agriculture industry is in the very best hands. We received nearly 50 applications for this year’s scholarship, and the passion and dedication of these young people was evident.
Saskatchewan’s agriculture story is one that needs to be told and retold, here and around the world. There’s a great deal to talk about when it comes to this innovative, sustainable industry and the people who make it what it is, and I’m very proud to help deliver that message wherever it needs to be heard.
David Marit
Minister of Agriculture