Agriculture organizations hopeful as new provincial budget released

Mar 24, 2023

Following the release of the provincial budget for 2023-24, agricultural organizations have been voicing their approval.

Included in the release is $548 million going to the ministry of agriculture, a 19% increase from last year.

Chad Ross, the vice-chair for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, says that the increase in funding is good for them.

"The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association is pleased with today's announcement. It shows continued commitment by the government to the agriculture sector. These investments to the livestock sector are particularly important. our producers have been through many challenges in the past few years and so assistance from our government is very welcome."

Of that figure, $89.8 million is for strategic initiatives, including $38 million for agricultural research and innovation.

APAS Vice President Bill Prybylski details some of the notable programs funded by this year's budget.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.