SASKATCHEWAN TAKES LEADING ROLE AT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIC TRADE SHOW

Saskatchewan will represent Canada and officially open the Canadian Pavilion at BioFach in Nuremberg, Germany. Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman is with a delegation of Saskatchewan and Canadian agricultural companies attending BioFach, the largest and most important tradeshow in the world for the international organic industry.

"It's an honour for me to be invited to officially open the Canadian Pavilion, given the number of key agricultural exporters from Saskatchewan and Canada who will be attending the show," Wartman said. "Part of our long-term strategy is to increase our agricultural exports to Europe, and this show is an excellent opportunity to raise the profile of our province and our products."

Ten Saskatchewan companies will be represented at BioFach, promoting such products as high quality organic oilseed and pulse crops, wild rice, roasted flax seed and quality herbal teas.

In addition to opening the Canadian Pavilion at BioFach, Wartman will promote Saskatchewan organic products, pulse and specialty crops, agricultural machinery and technology, and the province's agricultural research capacity.

Wartman will also undertake business development activities in Spain and France. While in Spain, Wartman will meet with agricultural officials, as well as pulse and organic food buyers, and tour CENSYRA, the country's national centre of animal selection and reproduction.

The Minister will discuss biofuels with German and French officials to see how their biofuel programs compare to those of Canada and Saskatchewan.

"Saskatchewan has significant potential to expand our ethanol and biodiesel industries for domestic and international markets," Wartman said. "With our biofuels industry, we can learn much from the leadership of the Germans and French regarding the development and use of these fuels to reduce greenhouse gas generation."

The Minister will also have an opportunity to tour a co-operatively owned and managed biodiesel plant in the eastern part of Germany.

In France, Wartman and five Saskatchewan farm equipment manufacturers will attend SIMA, the largest indoor farm equipment tradeshow in the world, to promote Saskatchewan's world class products and technologies including equipment for tillage and rocks, spraying and fertilizing, livestock and forage, zero and minimum tillage seeding, grain handling, and storage and transportation.

Backgrounder attached

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For More Information, Contact:

Scott Brown Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306)787-4031 Cell: (306)536-3851