As water management policies in Saskatchewan evolve, having a dedicated advocate like SaskFSA is crucial.
- SaskFSA is the only organization in Saskatchewan dedicated solely to water management solutions in agriculture.
- SaskFSA is the only farmer-led drainage management organization in Canada.
- SaskFSA is helping shape water policies that reflect the unique needs of Saskatchewan farms, balancing stewardship and productivity, and protecting farmers from restrictive regulations that don’t work for SK agriculture.
Policy Impact
Water management will determine the success of Saskatchewan farmers.
Water resources are critical and need to be managed for optimal field efficiency. Without the ability to manage temporary, excess and seasonal nuisance water, farmers risk the viability of their farms.
Despite drainage being a critical business risk management tool for farmers, it is not well understood. This lack of understanding has made drainage a contentious topic, especially as it relates to the policy discussions with the government and the public. It has also led to the implementation of land and water use policies that have the potential to negatively impact Saskatchewan farms, our ability to grow food and the environment.
SaskFSA is the only organization focused on advocating for practical water management solutions that work for farmers. These are some examples of the work we’ve done.
Proactively Engaging WSA
Since its inception, SaskFSA has been instrumental in helping WSA transition from an anti-agriculture, environmental-based culture under the Ministry of Environment to today, an organization led by people with agricultural backgrounds working to find a balanced approach that supports the industry.
Shaping Saskatchewan’s AG Water Management Policies
Farmers are vulnerable to land and water use policy as well as public influence on how farmers manage their private land. Examples include the 2015 change in legislation to remove grandfathering of pre-1981 approvals, which meant existing (and previously government-approved) works were now illegal. In 2019, WSA introduced the Wetland Mitigation Policy with a focus on wetland retention and restoration in agricultural zones, which required growers to return to 50% of pre-drainage acres.
Policy decisions like these have the potential to severely limit efficiency and production potential on Saskatchewan farmland. In both instances, SaskFSA made farmers’ voices heard.
SaskFSA was able to halt implementation of the Wetland Mitigation Policy to host Focus Groups across the province to understand producers’ regional concerns and identify alternative solutions to the proposed strategy. We used feedback to advocate for the inclusion of soil quality, economic impact and production and nutrient efficiency as key pillars of the policy framework.
Changing the Narrative Around Drainage and Wetland Management
SaskFSA successfully lobbied to change the name of the Wetland Mitigation Policy to the Agriculture Water Stewardship Policy. This critical name change represented a positive shift in the understanding of responsible drainage management. It also resulted in WSA using more positive language throughout their communications, which includes “drainage benefits” instead of drainage that needs to “be mitigated” as well as the use of other positive terminology such as “agriculture zone”, “field efficiency” and drainage “beneficial management practices”.
Shifting Government Priorities
SaskFSA successfully advocated for the AG Water Management file within the WSA to be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture, away from the Ministry of Environment. because water is of vital importance to all of agriculture. Today, the Saskatchewan government recognizes SaskFSA as a “group that brings forward solutions.” We engage weekly with the WSA, have open discussions with government officials and regularly attend legislative events.
Launched SK DEN
Spearheaded by SaskFSA in 2024, the Saskatchewan Drainage Extension Network (SK DEN) brings together a strategic group of members, an advisory team of subject matter experts and an extensive cross-border network. The purpose of SK DEN is to connect landowners, industry, research and government to share and build knowledge on innovative and responsible water management practices.
Great projects are only great through the contributions of exceptional partners. The Ministry of Agriculture and WSA are just some of the important strategic advisors that support the SK DEN.
Ongoing Policy Priorities
SaskFSA’s priority is to make an impact at the field level by being actively engaged in the drainage approval process and policy projects. Priority areas of focus continue to evolve according to the needs of Saskatchewan farmers.
- Working towards a balanced wetland stewardship approach, accounting for regional environmental variations, innovation and validation of farmer-led stewardship, priority basin retention requirements and more.
- Advocating for a point of adequate outlet (POA) mapping and right of controlled water passage to expedite drainage applications and approvals through WSA
- Creating understanding of climatic events and how drainage management is a climate resiliency tool that reduces risk.
- Development of Saskatchewan-specific drainage beneficial management practices.
- Advancing solutions for shared wetlands, overland flooding and maintenance of waterways and conservation lands.
- Developing education support for producers and the public around the AG zone, Saskatchewan geography and water in the AG zone.
- Working alongside SaskFSA members in building solutions for approvals and Requests for Assistance.
SaskFSA Research
SaskFSA supports research both provincially and at the farm level to quantify yield data and the agronomic and economic benefits associated with responsible land and water management.
SaskFSA research validates our policy recommendations, helps move policy discussions forward and confirm beneficial management practices.
Current Research Projects
Targeted Tile Drainage for Agronomic and Environmental Efficiencies
SaskFSA in collaboration with IHARF (LINK) identified and quantified soil and crop production benefits of using targeted tile drainage to manage excess water associated with temporary or seasonal wetlands in a prairie pothole landscape. The findings show notable changes in crop productivity over the three years of the study, indicating a significant economic benefit.
Field Efficiency Drainage Research
The economics of drainage makes sense. This research is designed to quantify the agronomic and environmental benefits of improving field efficiency through managing temporary and seasonal water with surface and targeted tile drainage, using a field-scale approach. This research began in 2024, collecting baseline data including field logistics, crop inputs, ROI, soil moisture probes in three SWAT zones and twelve piezometers to measure groundwater hydrology. The drainage plan will be implemented throughout 2025, with preliminary outcomes reported in early 2026. This will be a 5-year research project.