The provincial government announced Thursday afternoon an expansion of areas allowed to use two per cent liquid strychnine on a time-limited, emergency basis.
Last week, the province submitted a request to Health Canada's Pesticides Regulatory Directorate last week to expand the eligible area to include R.M.s with the highest Richardson's ground squirrel populations, the government said in a news release.
The initial list of approved areas covered seven crop districts, based on Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation claims data and information related to species at risk presence.
The new areas cover 15 crop districts and 208 R.M.s. A map shows eligible areas in orange and non-eligible areas in white.
Provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit says the expansion comes after hearing feedback from producers.
"This change better reflects regions with the highest Richardson's ground squirrel populations and ensures producers have access to the right tools to manage this pest." he said.
A Strychnine Stewardship Program is being developed by the Ministry of Agriculture with the program to be administered by the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM). Program details and manufacturing timelines will be shared through R.M.s once finalized.
The province is expecting strychnine to be available for late-summer application but note if it becomes available before the spring application window closes, producers will be notified through R.M.s.
The federal government approved Saskatchewan and Alberta's revised application for emergency use in late-March, with both provinces arguing Richardson's ground squirrels are threatening crops, pose a risk of injury to grazing livestock, and causing millions of dollars' worth of damage.
Several safeguards are attached to the temporary approval, including increased monitoring and carcass collection and disposal requirements and enhanced mandatory training.
The federal authorization is in place until November 2027.
