During his most recent trade mission to Hong Kong and China, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) highlighted the mutual benefit of stronger agricultural and trade ties between the region and Canada in meetings with government officials, investors and industry. In Beijing, Ritz met with his counterparts from the Ministry of Agriculture and from China's … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) welcomed the official opening of a new $10 million state-of-the-art greenhouse facility at the Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre (SCPFRC). Canadian farmers stand to benefit from research focused on improving crop quality, productivity, and disease and insect resistance, to be done at a newly constructed greenhouse. The … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced the reappointments of Jim Smolik as assistant chief commissioner and Murdoch MacKay as commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission. The full release is available online. Call 613-773-7972.
The Independent Expert Advisory Panel on the XL Foods Inc Beef Recall 2012 followed several months of interviews with a wide variety of government and non-government organizations and individuals with the submission of a report to Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.).
The government is enabling a company to commercialize a "green" bio-plastic, using innovative technology that was developed at the University of Guelph. Competitive Green Technologies received a repayable contribution of $360,000 from the Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP) to purchase and install equipment to produce biopolymer resin compounds from non-food biomass fibres. These compounds are to … Read more
One of the country's longest-running and most respected youth organizations, 4-H Canada, is celebrating its 100 anniversary. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) brought congratulatory greetings on behalf the government at the 4-H "Food for Thought" Gala celebration in Winnipeg. Under Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial, and territorial agreement, governments are making a $3 … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced the launch of the Growing Forward 2 agricultural policy framework in Nova Scotia. Growing Forward 2 is a renewed commitment by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure productivity and profitability for Canada's agricultural sector. With a focus on innovation, competitiveness, and market development, Growing Forward 2 … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) concluded a successful agricultural trade mission to Russia and Kazakhstan where he strengthened the trade relationship with these growing markets and promoted Canada's world-class livestock. Russia and Kazakhstan's interest in Canadian agricultural products and expertise is increasing. Canada exported over $21 million of agri-food products to Kazakhstan in 2012, … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced the reappointment of Randy Williamson as the chairman of the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC). The chairperson is responsible for leading the CDC's three-member board of directors, which also comprises the commissioner and CDC's chief executive officer. The chairperson is the commission's primary liaison to the agriculture minister. More information … Read more
The Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan announced the creation of a new Canadian Wheat Alliance (CWA). This initiative will coordinate research and development projects to improve the yield of Canadian wheat by reducing losses under extreme weather conditions such as drought, heat, cold and diseases. The Canadian Wheat … Read more
