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Fueling Canada’s Future: The Role of Innovation and Investment in Agri-Tech and Energy

Meaghan Seagrave of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) shares her insights on the critical connection between agriculture, energy, and investment, and how a unified approach can fuel Canada’s sustainable future.

By Tabitha Caswell

Canada’s agriculture sector is at a crossroads, facing mounting pressures to meet sustainability goals and growing demand for food production while simultaneously aiming to strengthen its domestic and international economic competitiveness. It is closely entangled with the energy sector, especially when it comes to sustainable practices, resource management, and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Meaghan Seagrave, Executive Director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) and self-proclaimed “bioeconomy crusader masking as a business operations specialist,” shares her perspective on the intersection of agriculture, energy, and economy. With extensive experience in fostering innovation and sustainability across various industries, she brings us to a higher elevation for a cross-sectoral, panoramic view.

Like agriculture, in the race to reach net zero, many of Canada’s sectors with significant environmental influence are often siloed. Yet, many industries that depend on these sectors converge and even overlap one another, so it’s important to consider these relationships when addressing inputs and outputs of concern. 

Meaghan says, “At BIC, we’re focused on green chemistry which spans agriculture, marine, forestry, fisheries, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, defence and more. It might sound like we’re spreading the peanut butter pretty thin, but what we’re really doing is looking at the larger green chemistry value chain – the places where lower carbon inputs from our resource sectors can displace fossil inputs along those industry value chains. This includes fuels, primary chemicals, polymers, semifinished goods, processed goods, advanced manufacturing, and more.”

Source : Bioenterprises.ca

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Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

Video: Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked America’s farmers and ranchers and said the Trump Administration is fully aware that food security is national security.

She also acknowledged the challenging times in Farm Country with low commodity prices and high input costs and said that’s why the President stepped in to help with the recent Bridge Assistance Program.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says that Farm Bureau members are appreciative of the help and looks forward to working with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its presence in Washington, DC to keep farmers and ranchers in business.

Secretary Rollins said the Trump Administration is also committed to helping ranchers build back America’s cattle herd while also providing more high-quality U.S. beef at the meat case for consumers.

And she also announced more assistance for specialty crop producers who only received a fraction of the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA).

It’s important to note that producers who qualify for Farmer Bridge Assistance can expect the Farm Service Agency to start issuing payments in late February. For more information, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.