PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: CLEARVIEW FARMS BENEFITS FROM ON-FARM CLIMATE ACTION BMP FUNDING
Located in southeastern Saskatchewan, just a short distance from the North Dakota border, Clearview Farms owned and operated by Corrine and Robert Galarneau operates 3,500 acres, including 2,500 conventionally farmed acres and 1,000 organic acres. Since 2022, the farm has accessed funding through both the Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP) and, more recently, the Saskatchewan Watersheds Environmental Agriculture Program (SWEAP). Funding for SWEAP and PWCP is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agriculture Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). For the second consecutive year, the farm has worked closely with Bailey Norgan from the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds (SAW) to support its environmental stewardship initiatives.
Through PWCP and SWEAP funding, Clearview Farms has been able to implement several beneficial management practices, including seeding cover crops and incorporating annual
legumes into the crop rotation. When asked why they continue to participate in the programs, Mrs. Galarneau explained, “We have started to put a greater focus on increasing nutrient cycling, microbial activity, and plant biodiversity to help enhance the fertility of the soil.” She added that the farm has expanded the variety of legumes and cover crops being grown compared to previous years.
Mrs. Galarneau acknowledged that they are starting to see some benefits from adopting this practice. She shared that they have started reducing the rate of nitrogen applied compared to the recommended rates and they are starting to see some of their more compacted soils loosen up. Galarneau said “We have noticed a difference the following year after incorporating a legume crop like clover or other robust species.”
Mrs. Galarneau shared that the onboarding and application process for SWEAP is very smooth and that’s all because of their assigned coordinator Bailey. Mrs. Galarneau remarked that “She makes it one of the easier and less intimidating programs to apply for.”
When asked whether she would recommend SWEAP to others, Mrs. Galarneau’s response was immediate: “Absolutely. This program is a great incentive for both farmers and ranchers to improve their soil health.”
SWEAP has had an amazing uptake from producers across the province since the launch in 2025. We look forward to working with many more farmers and ranchers across Saskatchewan. Intake for 2025 funding is now closed. SWEAP program intake opens again on February 15, 2027.
WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE: ADAPTATION PLANS AND VIDEOS
Across Saskatchewan, communities are experiencing the impacts and effects of a changing climate through increased climate variability, including more frequent droughts, intense rainfall events, and shifting seasonal temperature extremes and patterns. These changes place pressure on watersheds, affecting water supply, ecosystem health, agriculture, and community infrastructure. By strengthening watershed stewardship today, Saskatchewan communities can prepare for future climate conditions while protecting the ecological and economic value of healthy watersheds.
To help address these challenges, SAW, through the Watershed Stewardship for a Changing Climate project, supported the development of five watershed-district based climate adaptation plans and a provincial-wide plan – to better understand climate impacts, effects, and risks, and identify practical actions that improve watershed resilience. The project focused on assessing how climate change may affect watershed systems across Saskatchewan, including impacts to water quantity, water quality, ecosystem services, agriculture, engineered infrastructure, traditional resources and cultural practices, human health and well-being, recreation and tourism, forestry, and grasslands. By integrating climate projections with watershed data and local and traditional knowledge, the project helped to identify priority vulnerabilities and opportunities for adaptation across Saskatchewan’s watershed districts.
Key components of the project were knowledge sharing and collaboration. SAW worked with conservation groups,
industry, academia, municipalities, Indigenous communities, agricultural producers, and other stakeholders to ensure that local experience and priorities were reflected in adaptation planning. Through engagement and knowledge sharing, the project supported practical, locally relevant solutions.
The outcomes of the project include an improved understanding of climate-related risks to Saskatchewan’s watersheds and the development of tools and guidance to support climate-informed watershed management. These resources will help communities and decision-makers incorporate climate considerations into watershed planning, stewardship initiatives, and land and water management practices.
SAW has completed climate adaptation plans for SAW’s Watershed Districts and a Provincial-wide Plan. The completed plans are available at: https://saskwatersheds.ca/ccap/
In addition to the climate adaptation plans, SAW also developed 6 climate adaptation demonstration videos, including a video on Aquatic Invasive Species and a changing climate. For any inquiries about the Watershed Stewardship for A Changing Climate Project, please contact: ccap@ saskwatersheds.ca.
Still from Hydrologic Drought Preparedness Planning for the Town of Herbert
Still from Aquatic Invasive Species and a Changing Climate
