Alberta and Saskatchewan farmers will regain access to two percent liquid strychnine for Richardson’s ground squirrel control after the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) approved an emergency use registration, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson announced.“Many Prairie farmers will have another tool back in their toolbox for gopher control,” Sigurdson said, noting that producers have faced significant crop and pasture damage, livestock injuries, and equipment loss due to the pests.The approval follows coordinated advocacy by provincial leaders. Sigurdson thanked Premier Danielle Smith for directly engaging Prime Minister Mark Carney, as well as federal Minister Heath MacDonald and Saskatchewan Minister David Marit for supporting the application.Officials said work is already underway to procure strychnine and implement its use across the prairies. Sigurdson emphasized that farmers and ranchers are committed to responsible pesticide use to minimize environmental impact while protecting crops, pastureland, and rural infrastructure.“We remain committed to finding pest management alternatives that will protect both our agriculture sector and rural infrastructure from the impacts of agricultural pests,” he said, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between provincial and federal authorities to support prairie agriculture.
