In Provincial budget news, Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart admits one of the biggest hits for the Ag sector is the wind down of the Saskatchewan Pasture Program.

He says managing private cattle is not a business that government should consider a core function.

"There's 780,000 acres in 50 separate pastures around the province. We're going to do the consultations into May, and in any event, it's business as usual for this grazing system ahead in 2017," he said.

Shane Jhanke, President of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, says the program winding down didn't come as much of a surprise after what was seen with the Federal PFRA Pastures:

"The Ag Minister has reassured us that patrons will be consulted and looked after accordingly and it'll be maintained in a grazing situation," she said.

An online consultation is expected to be up and running next Monday and will continue through until May 8th, more details on that are expected in the next few days.

Other impacts for the ag sector - Farmers bulk purchases of gasoline are now subject to PST, while the exemption for bulk diesel is being reduced to 80% effective April 1st.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the NDP is giving the Saskatchewan Budget a failing grade.

Cathy Sproule says Saskatchewan families are paying for years of Sask Party mismanagement, waste and scandals.

As Agriculture Critic she thinks the biggest concern for producers is going to be the loss of the Saskatchewan Pasture Program:

"At least 12% of the producers in Saskatchewan today access those pastures for their herds, and their small to medium-sized herds that really need these pasture lands to keep that herd viable. I think it's 5% of the cattle in Saskatchewan and this, with the loss of the Federal Community Pasture Program a few years ago, I think it's going to put real pressure on the small producers," she said.

She was also disappointed with the government's plan to do an online survey on the issue noting that she doesn’t think the online consultations worked for the Provincial Lands Act or the Water Security adding it’s not a good way to share ideas and come up with good policy.