By Alice McFarlane

SARM calls for the re-introduction of strychnine to control Richardson’s Ground Squirrels

Feb 26, 2025 | 3:25 PM

Using strychnine for the control of Richardson’s Ground Squirrels (RGS) will once again be on the agenda at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) convention next month.

Strychnine is a crucial tool used by farmers to control growing gopher populations and Saskatchewan landowners have spent the last year struggling to deal with the gophers after the federal ban on strychnine in March of 2024. Since then, many areas in the province reported widespread damage from RGS infestations in crops and pasturelands.

SARM Acting President Bill Huber said it has been tough year since the ban came into full effect.

“Our farmers are struggling to find a practical and effective method to control Richardson’s ground squirrel populations. SARM is asking the provincial government to use The Saskatchewan First Act to reintroduce the use of strychnine specifically for gopher control,” Huber said.

There are several control products available and the RMs have a rebate program of up to 50 per cent cost shared through SARM.

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“They’re somewhat effective but they don’t do the job like strychnine did, and I guess I’d like to say that this is a time-consuming thing to poison gophers,” Huber said. “It’s something that takes a lot of time. You’ve got to bait every hole and when they do that, they want something that’s going to work.”

The financial consequences are not only affecting producers but also crop insurance programs through increased payouts for damage caused year after year.

To counter effects of damaging RGS populations, the Gopher Control Program administered by SARM was initiated, according to Dr. James Tansey, Provincial Specialist, Insect/Pest Management with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.

“Richardson’s ground squirrels are native to the prairies and consume a variety of plant species, nuts, grains, seeds, and insects. Although RGS burrowing can have positive effects on nutrient cycling and plant species diversity, and they are important prey to many birds and animals, large populations can be very damaging to crop, forage, and livestock production. RGS has historically been one of Western Canada’s most damaging agricultural pests,” Tansey said.

SARM continues to receive resolutions from its membership, advocating for the reinstatement of strychnine to manage the growing RGS problem.

Further information on this topic will be presented at the SARM Annual Convention at 3:00 pm on Mar. 11.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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