Sask Irrigation project

[TASFarms]

How much water is going to be available this summer for irrigation?

Why can’t the pipelines that are run to the field be funded the same as the rural water program that was done around Kindersley?

[mcfarms]

Ya shut it down , it's madness.




What is the economic value of irrigation in Alberta?
Annually, irrigation related activities in Alberta's 12 irrigation districts generate: $5.4 billion to provincial GDP, $3.2 billion in labour income, and. support about 46,000 full-time equivalent jobs.Feb 24, 2022

[newguy]

Grain farmers worst enemy over the past 40 years has been competing against subsidized grain around the world.This is unreal.using tax money to subsidize 1 or 2% of the farmers in sask.Another example of Moe thinking he can kick the s##t out of farmers and not lose a vote.

[WiltonRanch]

Yeah this is just a bad idea. I try to look at it out 30 years but climate and geography doesn’t afford it any advantages. Even southern Alberta irrigation mostly grows crops destined for feedlots and there are already feedlots and packing plants as well as potato processors for the spuds. I’d imagine this irrigation project would end up growing hay or forages for the most part. Expensive cow chow on the taxpayers dime.

Years ago pivots were set up to irrigate off the treated water from the city. Guys were irrigating pasture and forage crops mostly as this made the best use of water for the climate. Crazy carrying capacity and yields on some sandy ground. However, as the pivots wore out and wind storms blew others over, people didn’t bother replacing them cause even with free water it wasn’t worth it for them. I know there is this desire to drought proof production but is it really worth it especially the farther north they try to push irrigation?

[LEP]

Well I doubt the intention is to grow more cereals and canola. Or atleast it shouldn't be. Once you have enough acres then maybe vegetables, more spuds for processing, and other specialties will be promoted.

[newguy]

Well I doubt the intention is to grow more cereals and canola. Or atleast it shouldn't be. Once you have enough acres then maybe vegetables, more spuds for processing, and other specialties will be promoted.

Whatever shows the fastest profit will be grown and flood the market.Grain companies will love not to worry about a steady supply of commodities.

[fjlip]

Spuds were tried, "Spudco", we are TOO short a growing season. Cost Sk taxpayers millions!

[TASFarms]

I don’t think the season is too short. Spudco had to much govt involvement?
the little potatoes are pulled out in July.

[bucket]

Well I doubt the intention is to grow more cereals and canola. Or atleast it shouldn't be. Once you have enough acres then maybe vegetables, more spuds for processing, and other specialties will be promoted.

Sadly the statistics show in Saskatchewan that only 5% of the irrigated acres are in something other than traditional dryland crops.

With a declining cattle herd and the infrastructure in Alberta to feed and process beef. I doubt Saskatchewan can make a business case for it. FFS Brad Wall allowed the former Canada Packers plant to be decommissioned only to have government money needed to resurrect it as a sow plant. Brad has finally learnt what a cow is. Maybe he can see the errors of his ways although he made every cattleman go through the auction houses to sell cull cows.

How can anyone with half a brain make an announcement one day giving 30 year old project additional funding and then the next day announce a project that will go to zero and still need funding.

While all the cheerleaders boast this project, I wonder how many know what the original cost of the Riverhurst and Luck Lake project were during the Devine years and that they were transferred for a dollar to those districts. Where is the GDP of running those 100million projects to zero for the taxpayer return?

And the same phucking thing will happen with this project. Bigshots will come along and get government money to set something up and MLAs will pocket some money but eventually this billion dollars will go to zero to get it off the books of government while they continue to throw money at it. story has been written.

Meanwhile the majority of the production and farmers and ranchers will get shitty programs and zero support.

And farm groups will continue with their pompoms, hoping to grab a MLA job when the other collect their paper bags and ride off.

[newguy]

If the government wanted to help all farmers equally and increase production .they could invest in all farmers having access to cheaper fertilizer .Even in the bad years sask is diverse enough it is unusual for the whole province to have a crop failure.