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Panelists to discuss technology’s role in driving innovation in Western Canada

We’re excited to bring Julianne Curran, VP of Market Innovation at Pulse Canada, Norm Sissons, Senior VP of Seed and Traits, Frank Hart, interim CEO of Protein Industries Canada, and Paul Card, CEO of Manitoba Technology Accelerator, along with Dr. Nazim Cicek, Associate Dean (Research), Department of Agricultural & Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba to the Agriculture Enlightened stage on November 7 for a conversation about how new technology and digital agriculture will drive economic growth in agriculture in Canada.

Julianne Curran has a PhD in Human Nutritional Sciences and has worked at Pulse Canada since 2005. In her current role of Vice President, Market Innovation, she leads the development and implementation of marketing strategies to diversify markets for the Canadian pea, lentil, bean and chickpea industry. She also works closely with a broad range of stakeholders including pulse grower associations, food and pulse processing industry, scientists, government, and health professional associations to identify strategic priorities for research related to health, nutrition, quality, processing and utilization of pulses, and facilitates research to address priority areas.

Norm Sissons has over 20 years of experience in agriculture, seed and crop inputs, as well as extensive experience in international business, strategic planning, product marketing and commercializing new agricultural seed products. Prior to joining Cibus, Norm was Global Crop Head for Syngenta based in Switzerland. Norm also spent 16 years with Monsanto Company in the US and Canada, initially in product development, and then leading commercial and marketing efforts for herbicide tolerance traits in canola, vegetable seed and soybean. Norm holds an MBA and a Master’s of Science in agronomy from the University of Manitoba.

Frank Hart spent more than nine years with Greystone Managed Investments Inc., in the positions of President, Vice-Chair, Managing Director and Chief Risk Officer. He has also been President of EDS Canada, CEO and President of Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan, Vice President of KPMG Consulting, and Deputy Minister of Saskatchewan Economic Development and Trade. He served as Chair of Protein Industries Canada’s Board of Directors from 2018-2023. He is currently interim CEO of the organization where his focus is securing Canada’s value-added processing ecosystem.

Paul Card has a passion for Manitoba and tech startups, and combined the two when he founded Tech Thursdays, a weekly meetup that showcases the work of local developers and entrepreneurs. Card has contributed to companies including MTS, 151 Research, and Evotrux.

Nazim Cicek is a Professional Engineer and Professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering at the University of Manitoba. He has authored or co-authored over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and presented his research in numerous international conferences.

2024 marks EMILI’s fifth year hosting its annual Agriculture Enlightened conference in Winnipeg. Join us on November 7, 2024 as we dive into the theme Unlocking Canada’s Innovation and Productivity Paradigm. A full day of keynote and panel discussions will explore diverse perspectives on productivity along the agriculture value chain, innovation taking place across Canada’s smart farm network, and ways to responsibly use data and digital tools on the farm. Purchase your ticket today.

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