The Saskatchewan NDP has sent a letter to the federal and provincial governments urging them to treat the drought like the crisis it is.

Agriculture Critic, Trent Wotherspoon, says he has never seen anything like it. The crops are scorched and aren’t even as tall as the stubble.

Wotherspoon suggests practical measures around feed and water, with adequate supports and proper business risk management programs to support the needs of livestock producers, and support for practical farm water projects.

The water program right now has a revenue threshold of $50,000, which the Agriculture Critic says says shuts out many smaller operations.

The NDP would like that to be reduced to $10,000, which is what the livestock industry has asked for.

Wotherspoon calls on the province to improve the previously announced provincial crop insurance changes, designed to encourage producers to turn their poor crops into grain feed.

Considering the effects of climate change, Wotherspoon adds that producers also need a long-term plan, to ensure the success of the agriculture sector on which we all rely.

(CJWW)