The Province has handed down its provincial budget which is forecasting a 434-million-dollar deficit for this year.

Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart says his department’s budget is up 7.5% mainly due to the higher crop price projections for the business risk management programs like Crop Insurance and Agri-Stability, while other areas remain about the same.

"Ag Innovation and Research, pest control, disease surveillance, trade and market development, AG awareness are all funded about the same as previous years. Industry grants such as the 24H, Ag in the Classroom, Agribition, things of that nature are $4.2 million again."

He notes the spending is pretty much unchanged from the previous budgets Ag Research is being funded at 26.8 million dollars with 2 million earmarked for the Global Institute for Food Security.