Farmers of Southern Saskatchewan are preparing for the collection of pesticides and veterinary products

In October, farmers in southern Saskatchewan living south of Davidson are joining the Unwanted Pesticides and Livestock/Equine Medications (UPLM) program. This environmental stewardship initiative operates on a three-year schedule and returns to northern Saskatchewan (north of Davidson) in 2027.

This year, twenty-one one-day hazardous waste collection events are planned in the southern part of the province, running from October 26 to October 30 daily from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (according to the text, "9AM to 4PM daily"). This region traditionally collects some of the largest volumes under the UPLM. As program coordinator Heather Bradley noted, Swift Current and Moose Jaw recorded record volumes at previous events, which is why the number of events in these communities has been doubled this time.

The program is carried out with the participation of the Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI). The organization's President and CEO, Dr. Catherine Filejski, emphasized that the free initiative helps safely dispose of unwanted or expired livestock and equine medications, protecting livestock, farms, and local communities.

The campaign allows farmers to drop off unwanted commercial-grade pesticides and outdated livestock and equine medications free of charge for safe disposal. Details on accepted and non-accepted materials, as well as exact collection site addresses, can be found at cleanfarms.ca/materials/unwanted-pesticides-animal-meds.

The organizer is Cleanfarms, an agricultural producer responsibility organization that collects and recycles packaging, plastics, and related products. The organization's activities are funded by members of industry associations in plant protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health, peat, bedding, feed, agricultural plastics, and maple tubing, with offices operating in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces.