聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 It鈥檚 intrinsically part of the prairies, part of Saskatchewan, the PFRA (Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration). In 2012 the Federal Government decided to do away with them, but as they have been transitioning to provincial ownership and what Saskatchewan and Manitoba are choosing to do with them, it鈥檚 important look at the legacy of the PFRA鈥檚.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the Dirty 30s, the PFRA was created to help alleviate the pressures on farmers who were dealing with soil erosion and hardships on the prairies. The PFRA was a very successful program which took on the challenge of restoration of grasslands, provided trees for shelter belts, and the PFRA community pastures lessened the pressures on individual farms of overgrazing, etc鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally for mixed farms, grain and cattle, following spring calving when grain-related work becomes relentless the farmers could send their cow-calf pairs to the PFRA to be watched by an experienced pasture manager.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In Manitoba there were a total of 23 pastures totalling 0.7 million acres, while Saskatchewan has 62 pastures totalling 1.77 million acres. The decision to eliminate the PFRA鈥檚 therefore hugely affects Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Of this area there are 10 historical/archeological sites within the pastures including a sun dial, burial sites, teepee rings, and buffalo drive sites.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In Saskatchewan the plan for the PFRA鈥檚 was to take this land and sell it or lease it to those who were utilizing the pastures with a clause stating that there will be no-cultivation and no-drainage for the purpose of conservation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 By the fall of 2012 the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan developed the 鈥淐anada Community Pasture Transition Program,鈥� which is intended to help patron groups assume the operation of the pastures. During the summer the Governments saw organizations begin to form and these groups were then brought together which was the driving force behind the 鈥淐anada Community Pasture Transition Program.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So, will the past patrons who have formed these groups be able to continue the legacy of the Community Pasture Program the PFRA鈥檚 were famous for or is this aspect of working together going to be lost with the dissolution of the PFRA鈥檚?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 My Dad shared a video with me awhile ago, which is very interesting and extremely well done. One of the girls that put it together is from Cadillac, near where I grew up, and I remember her as a little girl. Her video, The Last Cowboy, focuses on an interview with Jim Commodore, born and raised on the Val Marie PFRA pasture. He talks about the importance of balance when it comes to nature and raising cattle. The video can be found online at: .
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 How will the future fair for the PFRA鈥檚 and their importance in the prairies as they transition into the hands of individuals?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I guess we鈥檒l have to wait and see how this affects agriculture in Saskatchewan, but I would have to say, where I grew up, it was an integral part of how people farmed.
