If you own farmland in Saskatchewan, you’ll be receiving a new SAMA assessment in the mail this year, because 2025 is a revaluation year for SAMA (Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency)—and early reports are showing a roughly 40% increase in assessed farmland values across the province.
So what does that mean for you as a landowner,m or farmer? Let’s break it down.
What is SAMA?
SAMA is the provincial agency that determines the assessed value of all property in Saskatchewan, including farmland, residential, and commercial. Their job is to ensure property assessments reflect current market conditions—and every four years, they do a province-wide revaluation.
The 2025 values are based on what your land would have been worth as of January 1, 2023. This base date is used to ensure fairness and consistency across the province.
Why the Big Increase?
According to SAMA, farmland values rose significantly between 2019 and 2023. The 40% increase reflects the surge in demand, especially for productive land with irrigation potential or strong yield history.
This doesn’t mean the value of every farm will jump by 40%, but it does signal a strong provincial trend.
Will This Raise My Property Taxes?
Not necessarily.
An increase in your SAMA-assessed value doesn’t mean your taxes will go up by the same amount. That’s because your RM or municipality adjusts the mill rate (the formula used to calculate property taxes) to balance the budget across the new values.
So while assessments may rise, tax increases aren’t automatic—they depend on what your municipality decides.
What’s on a SAMA Assessment Sheet?
Your SAMA notice will show:
Your property’s legal description
Land use and quality rating
Assessed value (based on Jan 1, 2023)
Comparison to your previous assessment
Appeal information if you notice something off
Notices are mailed out in revaluation years, so all farmland owners should be receiving one. This isn’t your tax bill—it’s the value that will be used to calculate it later.
How Is SAMA Used in Real-Life Land Valuation?
This is important: SAMA is not the same as market value.
Most real estate professionals and appraisers use SAMA as a reference point, but not the main tool when valuing farmland. Here's how it's factored in:
✔️ Used as a baseline — a starting point to see how parcels compare
✔️ Helpful for trends — gives a rough idea of land value shifts in a region
❌ Doesn’t reflect today’s market — values are based on Jan 2023, so they may lag
❌ Doesn’t capture premium factors — like irrigation potential, lease income, proximity to infrastructure, or current bidding demand
That’s why most farmland valuations rely more heavily on:
Recent comparable sales
Soil, location, and productivity
On-the-ground buyer demand
Bottom line: SAMA is a tool—not a price tag.
What Should Landowners Do?
✔️ Review your assessment when it arrives—make sure details are correct
✔️ Know your appeal deadline if something doesn’t look right
✔️ Talk to your RM about tax implications and mill rate changes
✔️ If you’re considering buying, selling, or refinancing, talk to someone who understands both SAMA and real market conditions
Curious What Your Land Is Actually Worth?
We’d be happy to walk you through what we’re seeing in today’s market, how your land compares to others in your area, and what opportunities might be worth exploring.
📞 Call Dale at 306-774-6100
We help landowners make sense of the market—on paper and on the ground.