A survey funded by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture sheds light on land rental practices across the province.
Eighty-two per cent of the 1,054 respondents to the Insightrix Research Survey reported having at least one cash rental agreement for cultivated land with an average of 2.3 agreements.
The average rental rate in the province is $51.90 per acre but varies by district.
Average rates in the Moose Jaw crop district range from $35 to $150 an acre. Agreements range from 100 acres to 400.
Average rent in the Assiniboia crop district of $33.84 an acre varies between $37.50 and $45. Agreements range from 160 acres to 1,000.
Average rent in the Gravelbourg/Central Butte crop district runs at $48 an acre varying from $30 to $80. Agreements ranged from 160 acres to 1,800.
Twenty-seven per cent of those surveyed had at least one crop share rental agreement. Average size was 619 acres. Renters averaged 60.6 per cent of the crop with land owners getting 39.4 per cent.
One in five landlords shared crop inputs. Of those, herbicide involved 86 per cent; fertilizer, 85 per cent; seed, 78 per cent; insecticide, 73 per cent; fuel, 65 per cent; and fungicide 64 per cent.
Sixteen per cent of those responding had pasture land agreements averaging three quarter sections (480 acres).
Just under two-thirds of the land was native pasture with one-third perennial grass and the rest cereal pasture. Average pasture rent is $1 per day per animal.
In the pasture land agreements 58 per cent had renters responsible for fencing with 22 per cent making landlords responsible and 23 per cent sharing costs.
Forty-one per cent of agreements had renters responsible for water source with landlords responsible in 32 per cent and shared cost in nine per cent.
In handling facilities, 59 per cent of renters were responsible with 16 per cent of landlords and seven per cent sharing
Eighty-nine per cent of renters did care of animals while five per cent of landlords handled that and six per cents shared care.
Seventy-two per cent of renters were responsible for maintenance with one in 10 landlords doing that and 18 per cent sharing.
Seventy per cent of cash agreements for cultivated land were with landlords with family at 20 per cent.
Fifty-seven per cent of crop share agreements were with landlords while 68 per cent of pasture land agreements were with landlords.
Landlords paid property taxes in 86 per cent of pasture land agreements.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
