Sask. municipalities group hopes province will reintroduce strychnine for gopher control

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) would like to see the province re-introduce the use of strychnine for gopher control.

The pesticide was banned last year by the federal government and phased out by the province in 2023.

SARM says landowners in Saskatchewan have seen the gopher population increase since the pesticide was banned and have since been struggling to control the rodent’s population.

“Many areas in the province have widespread damage from [gopher] infestations in crops and pasturelands, and now farmers are left vulnerable with another season approaching without an effective tool like strychnine,” SARM said in a news release.

Livestock can also be injured by stepping into holes dug by the rodents.

The association said it has continuously received resolutions from its members advocating for the reinstatement of strychnine.

“Alternative pest control methods remain ineffective or too costly for farmers and this decision has not adequately addressed unique agricultural needs of our province,” SARM says.

SARM added that when applied according to label instructions and integrated pest management practices, strychnine is a low-risk method for controlling gophers.

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SARM hopes the provincial government will use The Saskatchewan First Act to reinstate the use of the pesticide.

The act was passed in March of 2023 by the Saskatchewan Party government and is meant to confirm the province’s autonomy and re-assert constitutional jurisdiction over natural resources.

Strychnine is a white, odorless, bitter crystalline powder and cane be taken in through the mouth, breathed in or mixed in a solution and injected. The main natural source of the pesticide is found in a plant in southeast Asia and Australia, according to the Centers for Diesase Control and Prevention (CDC).

SARM says more information on the topic will be presented at its annual convention at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11.