AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES NEW SERVICES ON MAY 1st

The first of May marks the beginning of a new era for the province's department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.

The department has refocused its operations to better support agricultural development in Saskatchewan. New agribusiness development consultants will work closely with existing crop, livestock and forage agrologists to help individuals and communities capture opportunities for agriculturally-based economic development.

"These specialists will be active in rural areas," Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Minister Mark Wartman said. "They will be working with community leaders and innovators to help turn good ideas into jobs that build the economy."

Producers, entrepreneurs and communities can access department specialists through the Agriculture Business Centres located in North Battleford, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Tisdale, Yorkton, Regina, Weyburn, Outlook and Swift Current.

The department has also moved the services previously offered through its Extension Services Branch into a new Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Moose Jaw, where producers can access the production and processing management information they need by phone, fax or e-mail.

"This model introduces a new way for people to get the information they need, directly from specialists who can not only speak to agricultural issues within our province, but who are actively 'harvesting the world' for innovative research and technologies that we can apply here at home," Wartman said. "We will have a minimum of four agrologists in each of our nine offices."

In addition to the resources of the Agriculture Knowledge Centre and the Agriculture Business Centres, the department continues to provide funding for research and development initiatives, irrigation development, business risk management programs, crown land leases, community pastures, environmental protection and monitoring, food safety initiatives and renewal programming (within the Agricultural Policy Framework).

To contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, phone (toll-free) 1-866-45-SAFRR (1866-457-2377); fax 1-306-694-3938; e-mail aginfo@agr.gov.sk.ca or mail to: 45 Thatcher Drive East, Moose Jaw, S6J 1L8.

The Centre is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Information can also be found online at: www.agr.gov.sk.ca.

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For More Information, Contact:

Scott Brown Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306) 787-4031