Delegates at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities convention this week are calling for the province to make a positive move on pest control.

Rural leaders say rats are becoming more of a concern and they want the province to restore program funding following budget cuts. There used to be nearly $1.5 million a year but that has been slashed to $900,000 this year and will get cut again next year to a third of what it was.

There are concerns that an increase in the rat population will lead to the spread of disease and destruction of stored crops.