Irrigators from around the province are meeting in Moose Jaw, and we could see some changes within the sector.

The Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association and the Irrigation Crop Diversification Centre are looking at the possibility of a merger.

Joel VanderSchaaf is Chair of SIPA and talks about some of the concerns for his organization.

"It's a little bit like the fear of the unknown," he said. It's a little bit of are we going to lose our voice, are we going to lose focus by taking on a lot more. Those worries aren't very pronounced for me. I would say that I know, through close communication, with the research should inform advocacy and vice versa."

The Irrigation Conference wraps up today in Moose Jaw.

Anthony Eliason is Vice-Chair of ICDC and along with SIPA’s Board Chair has been researching the prospect.

He notes both sides have some concerns.

"Funding is a big one," he said. "How to separate our budget for policies versus research. The increase in administration cost, the increase personal to have communications or executive director, those are some of the big concerns right now, and how to fund them."

The two groups will continue their research and potential merger discussions through 2018 and will bring the information back for a possible vote at next year’s Irrigation Conference.