Sask. gov’t wants federal explanation over possible farm trespassing

Aug 23, 2022

Farmers reported federal employees taking water samples without permission

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Saskatchewan’s provincial government is asking the federal government for answers after alleged farm trespassing incidents.

Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan’s minister for the Water Security Agency, wrote a letter to federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault seeking an explanation after farmers in Pense, Mossbank and Pilot Butte reported witnessing federal employees taking water samples to test for pesticide residues and nitrate levels without permission to be on the farm.

“These Saskatchewan producers are owned an explanation as to what authority these federal government employees are acting under and why there is no communication with them prior to attendance on their private property,” Cockrill wrote in his Aug. 21 letter.

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan confirmed to Farms.com it is aware of the situation.

Federal employees do have some authority to conduct these kinds of samples.

Section 48 of the Pest Control Products Act, for example, states an inspector may, “at any reasonable time,” inspect a property where a pest control product is used.

And section 26 of the Canada Water Act allows inspectors onto a property (but not into a house) if the inspector “believes on reasonable grounds” that waste has been added to waters designated as a water quality management area.

The federal environment ministry is looking into at least one incident.

The sampling in Pense occurred last week.

Levi Wood, an area farmer, put out a tweet on Aug. 19 with a photo of a black vehicle with a Government of Canada marking.

Anyone else see a Government of Canada SUV taking water samples from your dugouts? They said they were ‘checking for pesticides’ #creatinganarrative pic.twitter.com/lHkaMBhQuM
— Levi Wood (@levijwood) August 20, 2022

“Anyone else see a Government of Canada SUV taking water samples from your dugouts,” he tweeted. “They said they were ‘checking for pesticides.’”

Ministry staff must ensure all work is completed in compliance with proper regulations, a spokesperson said.

Staff “have been collecting samples in water bodies at targeted sites across Canada for Health Canada this year; no nitrates or other nutrients are being sampled as part of these sampling activities,” a ministry statement says. “ECCC is reviewing sampling protocols to ensure they are consistent with area laws before doing any further sampling.

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm