With the Saskatchewan government providing up to $70 million in aid for drought-stricken livestock producers, one industry leader said he hopes the federal government will offer support as well.

 “It’s a good start, but more help is going to be needed if we’re going to be looking at maintaining the number of livestock we have here in Saskatchewan,” Grant McLellan, chief executive officer of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, told BNN Bloomberg in a television interview.

Earlier this week, the provincial government announced $70 million in aid to livestock producers to offset the added costs they face due to drought in the region.

McLellan said the money will largely go toward feed and water for producers’ beef cattle, bison, horse, elk, deer, sheep and goats.

Severe drought has hit Saskatchewan and the prairies hard this summer. Agriculture Canada’s Canadian Drought Monitor shows the majority of the province at least “abnormally dry” as of July 31, with some parts of the southwest under “extreme drought.”


In 2021, while facing similar drought levels, the federal government and province to offer combined aid at $200 a head. With the province’s package amounting to about $80 a head this time around, McLellan is calling on Ottawa to provide the balance.  

“We’re looking for the federal government to partner with the province and our producers to bring that support to bear just like they did in 2021,” he said.

Without more aid, McLellan fears some producers might have to trim their herds, which could have a ripple effect on Canada’s grocery bill.

“It’s a real risk,” he said. “If our herd is downsized, we could see prices at the grocery store go even higher.”

With files from CTV News Regina