Provincial ministers are promoting Alberta and Sask. ag on trade missions
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Multiple ministers from Prairie provinces are travelling abroad to showcase agriculture from their respective jurisdictions.
In Saskatchewan, for example, Jeremy Harrison, the minister of trade and export development, is part of a delegation heading to the United Kingdom and Poland.
“The mission’s focus is on expanding opportunities in agriculture, critical minerals, innovative technology, immigration and talent attraction,” a Sept. 22 release says.
The delegation will attend the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit and a recruitment fair, to attract workers to fill positions in the province, including in the ag sector.
Finding workers in Saskatchewan isn’t always easy, so outside of its borders is necessary, said Brent Bazin, a service executive with Young’s Equipment.
"With food security becoming increasingly important, we need to keep Saskatchewan farmers in the field," he said in a statement. "Young's Equipment is very involved with Saskatchewan's apprenticeship programs but recognizes the ability to fill all the available jobs from within our training system falls short of current needs.”
Saskatchewan’s ag minister is also leading a trade mission.
David Marit will travel to Mexico where he and members of the delegation will attend the Food Tech Summit and Expo in Mexico City.
This event brings together more than 20,000 buyers, investors and experts from the agri-foods sector.
"It is important for us to get out and tell our sustainability story across the globe, especially in key jurisdictions like Mexico who is our fourth largest trading partner," Marit said in a statement.
Mexico imported more than $1 billion of Sask. products in 2022, with agri-food goods accounting for more than 97 per cent of total exports.
An Alberta delegation recently wrapped up a trade mission to promote agriculture.
Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson recently spent time in South Korea and Japan to highlight the quality and value of Alberta agriculture.
“I emphasized that Alberta is committed to providing the best agri-food products possible for Japanese families,” he said on X on Sept. 23.