AAFC News Release
June 25, 2007

CANADA'S NEW GOVERNMENT INVESTS $10 MILLION TOWARDS THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITY PASTURES

SWIFT CURRENT, Saskatchewan – Parliamentary Secretary David Anderson, Member of Parliament for Cypress Hills–Grasslands, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today announced a $10 million investment over four years for the federal government’s Community Pasture Program (CPP) to improve the long-term productivity and health of federal pasture lands.

“Prairie pastures provide an important resource to farmers and ranchers and help conserve biodiversity as well as provide habitat for wildlife,” said Anderson. “By investing in the Community Pasture Program, Canada’s New Government is contributing to the ecological health of 85 precious pasture lands and investing in the long-term future of our livestock sector.”

The new funding will be used over the next four years to enhance the carrying capacity, range health and infrastructure of CPP lands through additional brush control, water development and forage rejuvenation measures. The purchase of additional water delivery systems will allow for better utilization of forage available on pastures and more effective grazing rotations.

"Agriculture Canada pastures are an important resource for waterfowl and wildlife," says Brent Kennedy, Ducks Unlimited Canada's Manager of Provincial Operation for Saskatchewan. "Ducks Unlimited looks forward to continue working closely with the Government of Canada to develop grazing management strategies that improve upland and riparian habitat for livestock and wildlife resources."

Now in its 70th year of operation, the Community Pasture Program manages 85 pastures on 930,000 hectares in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, and provides a livestock grazing and breeding service to more than 3,100 producers annually. The pastures are located on a variety of landscapes, and comprise some of the largest remaining contiguous blocks of native prairie grasslands in Canada.

The CPP promotes biodiversity and environmentally responsible land use and practices, while utilizing the land resource to complement livestock production. In addition, the pastures contribute to a number of national and international commitments covering biodiversity, climate change and protected areas.

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