REGINA -- An organization that bills itself as the voice of rural Saskatchewan is calling for consideration, patience and understanding following the acquittal of a farmer in the shooting death of a young Indigenous man.

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities says in a statement that it believes people in the province are better united than divided and that it takes community to build a healthy, strong rural Saskatchewan.

A jury on Friday acquitted Gerald Stanley of second-degree murder in the death of Colten Boushie.

The 22-year-old member of the Red Pheasant First Nation died on Stanley's farm near Biggar in August 2016.

The association says it will continue to cultivate relationships with the Federation of Sovereign Indian Nations and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner to find areas of common ground to advance all communities.

SARM says it has a rural Indigenous working group to help guide it.

"SARM recognizes that all municipalities need to work together," president Ray Orb said in the statement. "We are committed to working with our membership in promoting co-operation with our First Nation neighbours."