Saskatchewan has significantly widened the area where producers can access 2% liquid strychnine for Richardson’s ground squirrel control, expanding the emergency registration well beyond what was announced at the end of last month.
In a release Thursday, the province said Health Canada has approved an expanded emergency use registration covering 208 rural municipalities across roughly 15 crop districts in southern and western Saskatchewan. That marks a major increase from the March 31 announcement, when eligible land was limited to areas in about seven crop districts in southwest, southeast, south central and northwest Saskatchewan.
Agriculture Minister David Marit said the broader approval came after farmers and ranchers made clear that more areas needed access. He said the updated boundaries better reflect the regions facing the highest Richardson’s ground squirrel populations and give producers additional tools to manage the pest.
The March 31 approval followed a revised joint emergency use request from Saskatchewan and Alberta. At that time, Saskatchewan said the eligible areas had been identified using Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation claims data along with information on species at risk. The province also described the approval as a chance for producers to show that strychnine could be used effectively and responsibly, with the longer-term hope of seeing it reinstated permanently.
The new expansion came after Saskatchewan submitted another request to Health Canada last week seeking to include rural municipalities with the heaviest ground squirrel pressure while still protecting sensitive wildlife, the release said. The revised registration adds stronger safeguards, including increased monitoring, carcass collection and disposal requirements, and enhanced mandatory training.
Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Ministry said it is now developing a Strychnine Stewardship Program with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities. Details will be shared through local municipalities once the program and manufacturing timelines are finalized, the release added.
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