Wall kicked off the Saskatchewan Ingredients Tour on Monday
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is conducting a province-wide tour of different processing plants and organizations that use ingredients produced by local farmers.
The Saskatchewan Ingredients Tour began Monday with visits to CanMar Grain Products and NutraSun Foods.
Wall said the tour highlights Saskatchewan’s growing strength in value-added food processing.
“There are now more than 300 food companies operating in the province that generate more than $4 billion in revenues and employ about 5,000 people,” he said in a Feb. 13 release.
“Their tremendous success demonstrates that Saskatchewan’s economy is stronger, more durable and more diversified than ever. Our province is no longer just a primary producer of grains, oilseeds and other resources. Throughout Saskatchewan, companies are adding value to what we grow and in the process creating jobs and opportunity.”
In addition to the impact the companies have locally, their presence is being felt around the globe.
According to the release, Harvest Meats in Yorkton, Sask. provides hot dogs to Safeco Field where baseball’s Seattle Mariners play their home games. Saskatchewan flax is used in cookies at Shanghai Disneyland and local oats are used in Cheerios.
And Saskatchewan lentils play an important part in Indian cuisine.
“Ninety per cent of India’s lentil imports, and more than 60 per cent of its pea imports, are grown by Saskatchewan farmers,” Wall said in the release.
The tour is expected to last a few weeks. Premier Wall will be posting photos from the tour to his Facebook page.
Farms.com has reached out to producers in Saskatchewan to get their thoughts on the tour.