Saskatchewan Turkey Producers' Marketing Board (Sask Turkey)

Sask Turkey was founded on January 14, 1974, to manage the province's supply of turkeys to meet consumer demand for this meat. Sask Turkey's duties include negotiating the province's overall quota with the Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency, negotiating prices with local processors, and developing long-term strategies for the province's turkey industry. Sask Turkey membership is limited to Saskatchewan turkey producers with quota production rights that are auctioned annually; no individual or corporation is permitted to hold more than 18% of the overall provincial quota. In 2003 Saskatchewan had seventeen such producers and yielded 5.87 million kg of (live) turkey for approximately $8.9 million in farm gate returns. The province's turkey production has been relatively stagnant since 1980. Most processing is done out-of-province since Lilydale, a major processor/distributor, decided in 2003 to reduce output at its plant in Wynyard, the only turkey processing facility in Saskatchewan. A board of directors elected from registered producers oversees Sask Turkey's duties.

John Chaput