Provincial Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornrud says there's still a need for the shelterbelt tree program in rural Saskatchewan.
The program provides trees, grown at the Indian Head Nursery, free of charge to farmers for use in shelterbelts. But as a cost-cutting measure, the program is being eliminated next year by the federal government.
Members of the provincial opposition, including Cathy Sproule, are questioning why the province won't take over the program.
"A recent independent study estimated the public good from this program over a 20 year period was $600 million. And that the trees planted in 2004 alone will sequester 1.8 million tonnes of co2 by 2054. My question to the minister is what is his plan to ensure that this essential program will be continued for the farmers of Saskatchewan?" asks Sproule.
Bjornrud says the issue will be raised Friday, when Canada's agriculture ministers meet in Ottawa.
