SARM president Ray Orb welcomes expanded provincial support for irrigation projects.

The province is increasing funding for irrigation projects outside the Outlook District from $300,000 to $500,000.

Orb says the higher support will further enhance irrigation development across Saskatchewan.

The province says irrigation supports the growth of diverse, high-value crops, which increases on-farm profitability, value-added processing opportunities, business attraction and employment.

Agriculture minister David Marit says close to 10,000 acres were brought under irrigation last year from the Irrigation Development program and he’s hoping for even more this year.

The program is outside the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Expansion Project.

Last year, the province outlined a $4-billion investment to develop water infrastructure around Lake Diefenbaker to support irrigation of 500,000 acres over the next ten years.