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(Image Credit: (submitted photo/ Government of Saskatchewan))

Training for Saskatchewan producers using strychnine

May 6, 2026 | 2:43 PM

Saskatchewan producers planning to participate in the strychnine stewardship program are required to take training. 

That training is is a required step for producers in eligible rural municipalities (RMs) seeking access to two per cent liquid strychnine for targeted control of Richardson’s ground squirrel (RGS) infestations.  

Training is one component of the Strychnine Stewardship Program, which is available in 208 RMs through an Emergency Use Registration (EUR) outlined by Health Canada’s Pesticides Regulatory Directorate. The EUR is in effect until November 2027.   

The 90-minute online training course, available through the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, addresses responsible strychnine use, environmental protection, integrated pest management and pesticide safety. A mandatory Treatment Plan and Declaration Form is also required to become a certified strychnine user. 

Training can be accessed here.

Participating RM offices will distribute strychnine to certified users later this spring. An initial, limited supply of strychnine is expected in early June, followed by additional monthly shipments. Strychnine will be distributed evenly among participating RMs with a per-producer cap to manage supply. 

As the spring application window closes on June 15, producers are encouraged to use alternative registered rodenticides, as well as biological and cultural controls, for RGS control in the next month.  

Strychnine inventories are expected to increase during the July 15 to Sept. 1 application window. 

The full details of the program and a complete list of participating RM offices can be found here.

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com