$6.5 Million Investment Strengthens SSGF Conservation Programs
$6.5 Million Investment Strengthens SSGF Conservation Programs
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 22, 2026
Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation and the Weston Family Foundation Strengthen Partnership with $6.5 Million Commitment to Protect Saskatchewan’s Grasslands
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation (SSGF) is pleased to announce a continued partnership with the Weston Family Foundation, with a $6.5 million commitment over five years to support conservation programs that protect Saskatchewan’s native grasslands, promote sustainable stewardship, and will strengthen the long-term resilience of prairie landscapes.
Native grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, and in Saskatchewan, what was once a common landscape is increasingly threatened by conversion and land use changes. Today, less than 20 per cent of Saskatchewan’s native grasslands remain, making partnerships that support conservation and sustainable land management more important than ever.
This substantial investment from the Weston Family Foundation’s Prairie Grasslands Initiative will enable the SSGF to advance voluntary grassland conservation programs and sustainable ranching practices through producer-led conservation efforts. The Weston Family Foundation’s Prairie Grasslands Initiative supports diverse approaches across stewardship, economic viability, and training—recognizing that different strategies contribute to long-term biodiversity outcomes and, together, sustain landscape health over time.
“Canada’s prairie grasslands are some of the most ecologically valuable and threatened ecosystems in the world, and we have a responsibility to protect them for future generations. There’s no singular solution. These are working landscapes and protecting them means supporting a range of long-term solutions that reflect the realities of the people connected to the land; their knowledge, their livelihoods, and their long history of stewardship.”
-Christian Bauta, Chair, Weston Family Foundation
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation has developed and delivered producer-focused and flexible conservation programs since 2020 with the majority of their programs directed to the southwest corner of the province but now will be able to increase program outreach to the rest of agricultural Saskatchewan.
Funding through the Weston Family Foundation Prairie Grasslands Initiative will increase the impact of these voluntary grassland conservation efforts and expand SSGF’s influence in multiple ways, with a strong focus on retaining existing ranchers and Indigenous partners on the land, while also encouraging emerging producers to enter and remain in the ranching and livestock industry. Continuing a cycle of knowledge transfer between generations that is essential to ensuring native grasslands remain on the landscape and meeting conservation outcomes.
The partnership will drive multiple SSGF programs including the highly sought-after Term Conservation Easement Program, a ground breaking program that was created to protect native grasslands alongside complimenting the everyday needs for working ranches. Term Conservation Easements offer producers a unique approach to conserving ecologically significant grasslands for a defined period of time, with the added flexibility for the next generation to make land-use decisions and find value in voluntary conservation programming.
Funding through this initiative will implement the Bird-friendliness Index (BFI) Incentive Program, a partnership between SSGF and Birds Canada. This innovative approach to grassland conservation will reward positive outcomes for grassland bird conservation, as measured by the BFI. This will build on early successes with this outcomes-based approach to conservation that will complement SSGF’s other conservation and stewardship programming and benefit declining grassland bird species in partnership with Birds Canada.
“Grassland birds are the fastest declining group of birds in Canada, which is why Birds Canada is proud to partner with SSGF to deliver the Bird-friendliness Index Incentive Program. This innovative program will reward land stewards for the positive contributions they make to conserving grassland birds. With the support of the Weston Family Foundation, this partnership advances a model of agriculture that sustains the livelihoods of the people who actively conserve grassland birds and the grasslands they rely on.”
Dr. Kiel Drake, Director, Prairie Region, Birds Canada
Other programs such as SSGF Habitat Management Agreements that build landscape resilience by working with ranchers and land managers to implement infrastructure and stewardship practices that maintain and enhance native grassland habitat will be positively impacted by this funding.
The continued strong demand for these programs reflects the stewardship ethic of Saskatchewan ranchers and the growing recognition that conserving native prairie is essential for biodiversity, species at risk, and the long-term resilience of ranching communities. As producers continue to seek practical, flexible conservation tools that acknowledge their role as long-term stewards of Saskatchewan’s native prairie, SSGF programs are increasingly valued for supporting both the ecological and economic resilience of their operations.
“The Weston Family Foundation’s support over the years has really helped us make a difference for grassland conservation on the ground level. This partnership supports not just native grasslands, but also the ranching families and local communities that depend on them. With demand for our programs growing year after year, it’s clear SSGF fits with what ranchers and landowners are already working toward, keeping these grasslands healthy and intact for the next generation.”
-Kelcy Elford, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation President
The Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to support work that evolves, scales, and endures. The Foundation supports this work by enabling collaboration, strengthening knowledge, and investing in approaches that can deliver lasting impact across the Prairies.
Thanks to the continued support of the Weston Family Foundation, SSGF can advance its work to protect Saskatchewan’s native grasslands by supporting sustainable ranching practices, empower local communities and expand conservation programming to other areas of the province. The long-standing partnership between the SSGF and the Weston Family Foundation is proof that impactful conservation work can be practical and work to benefit land stewards, ranchers and Indigenous communities that safeguard our native grasslands.
About the Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative:
The Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative is a ten-year, $70 million commitment to the long-term protection of biodiversity within one of Canada’s most ecologically valuable and threatened ecosystems. The Initiative is centred around collaborative, community-led projects that draw on local expertise and Indigenous knowledge to promote best land stewardship practices, address the economic pressures influencing land use, and deliver training, tools, and resources that support the future of Canada’s Prairie Grasslands.
About the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation:
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation is a charitable foundation and land trust committed to preserving Saskatchewan’s native grasslands and the wildlife they support, working hand in hand with ranchers to achieve sustainable stewardship goals.
Media Contact:
Mindy Hockley-Anderson
Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation
communications@ssgf.ca
1-306-861-2688