Strengthening agricultural ties with the U.S. and Mexico: Statement from Minister Sigurdson

Aug 21, 2023

“This week I had the privilege of representing Alberta’s agriculture sector at the 2023 Tri-National Agricultural Accord in Saskatchewan.

“Alberta is known worldwide for its robust agriculture sector, with the U.S. and Mexico remaining huge export markets for our province. We are proud leaders in sustainable agriculture and are setting new records for agri-food production and exports.

“Current drought conditions are making it difficult to maintain the growth in our agriculture industry, which is why I took the opportunity to speak with federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lawrence MacAulay to emphasize the urgent need in Alberta for AgriRecovery disaster relief.

“Through trilateral and bilateral sessions with senior state officials from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, we were able to discuss significant agricultural trade and development issues in North America.

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Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?