Southwest Drought Disaster Committee continues to work on assistance for
the 16 affected R-M's.
The question of whether the Southwest Drought Disaster Committee will see any financial assistance from the province is still up in the air. The group is looking for a disaster payment of $25 an acre to help producers in 16 R-M’s who have now experienced two years of drought. Agriculture Minister Mark Wartman says he understands the issue but adds there programs in place that should help producers. He emphasized that a general disaster assistance program has been talked about but would need to come through a Federal Provincial program that is not yet in place. In the spring farmers in northern Saskatchewan who were unable to seed due to excess moisture received a $25 an acre disaster payment.