Saskatchewan makes farmer-focused changes to PST exemptions

by

Amendments have recently been made to Saskatchewan’s Provincial Sales Tax (PST) exemptions which could positively affect farmers. The changes come after the government says they’ve discovered PST was being inconsistently applied to certain items including farming equipment.

“The changes to the PST regulations will be more equitable, consistent and protect farmers against perceived ‘PST creep’ in farming activity,” says Donna Harpauer, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister.

Effective April 1, 2022, new PST exemptions were made through regulation changes. These exemptions include:

  • prefabricated wind breaker panels for use in the protection and handling of livestock
  • insulators for electrified livestock fences
  • certain farm equipment attached to a registered vehicle
  • on-farm dugout excavation and for trenching (in specific circumstances related to farming)

Additionally, it was clarified that the following products are also exempt from PST and are retroactive to April 1, 2016:

  • water storage tanks used in spraying or irrigating crops
  • storage tanks for weed control chemicals, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, liquid fertilizer
  • adjuvants that improve their efficacy or application
  • portable seed cleaners used on-farm by farmers in preparing their crop for storage or market (farmers in the business of
  • seed cleaning must pay PST on their seed cleaning equipment)
  • farm tractors

Government officials say the estimated, annual cost of these changes is about $1 million and they are also in discussion about modernizing the agriculture and farming section of PST legislation, to potentially be considered in future budgets.

For farmers who would like to apply for a PST refund, click here for applicable forms and information.

Wake up with RealAgriculture

Subscribe to our daily newsletters to keep you up-to-date with our latest coverage every morning.

Wake up with RealAgriculture

Please register to read and comment.

 

Register for a RealAgriculture account to manage your Shortcut menu instead of the default.

Register