Ratepayers of the rural municipalities of Dundurn, Rudy and Rosedale will meet Wednesday in Hanley to talk about the future of the Dundurn and the Rudy/Rosedale community pastures.

Fred Wilson, Reeve of the R.M. of Dundurn, said community members and pasture patrons have been talking informally since the federal government’s decision to wind down the Community Pastures Program came to light in mid-April.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada plans to get out of managing the pastures over the next six years. The process begins in 2013 when the government will cease operations of 10 community pastures—five in Saskatchewan and five in Manitoba. Another five pastures in Saskatchewan will be transferred in 2014.

Ideally, Wilson said, the pastures would remain in the public domain, if not operated by federal or provincial governments, than the municipalities could possibly take over their management.

“The majority’s consensus is we would like them to stay as community pastures.”

He’s heard rumours about organizations and companies big enough to buy them may be interested in some of the more lucrative pastures. On the other hand, Wilson said, he can’t see the province letting them go because some are rich in resources like oil, gas and gravel.

To read more, please see the June 11, 2012 print edition of The Davidson Leader.