Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – The Alberta government is calling for the reversal of a federal ban on strychnine as the Richardson’s ground squirrel population booms.

In an open letter posted on X, RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, says farmers and ranchers are in crisis as the rodent, also called gophers, tears up crops, jeopardizes animal health, and destroys native grasslands.

“What we’ve seen over the past three years is that it has become a massive issue,” Sigurdson tells Rural Roots Canada. “Without the availability of strychnine, we have hundreds of thousands of acres being affected here in the province.”

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Strychnine was banned in 2020 after a Health Canada review determined the neurotoxin posed an “unacceptable risk” to individuals and the environment. The review added that strychnine threatened non-target species, like burrowing owls and swift foxes. In 2024, the Pest Management Regulation Agency banned all uses of strychnine nationwide.

“Strychnine was a very effective tool that our farmers and ranchers used,” says Sigurdson. “It was a very controlled application. Our farmers and ranchers wanted to make sure it was applied safely, pushing it down holes and making sure it didn’t pose any additional risk to wildlife.”

Sigurdson has declared a state of emergency because farmers are becoming increasingly desperate to protect their livelihoods as the gopher situation grows exponentially. He argues there’s a misconception about strychnine, noting it was a tightly controlled substance issued through municipalities. “I’m very disappointed that the federal government banned it without any consultation or looking at what the overall economic impact would be,” he adds.

In Alberta, Sigurdson says the annual risk to hay and native pasture exceeds $800 million. If the situation isn’t corrected, he believes the viability of Alberta farms and ranches is at stake, as is the affordability and security of Canada’s food supply.

“We need action from the federal government as quickly as possible.”