TEAM SASKATCHEWAN TO PROMOTE PROVINCE IN WASHINGTON

Team Saskatchewan, a new force of business, community and government leaders, is traveling to Washington, D.C. later this week to promote the province.

Team Saskatchewan will be profiling Saskatchewan as a destination for business and investment at the Bio 2003 trade show and convention June 21st-25th. Bio 2003 is the world's largest gathering of biotechnology leaders, with more than 20,000 international delegates expected to attend.

"This is an opportunity for us to make high-level contacts, build stronger business relationships and attract new business partners and investment to Saskatchewan," Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline said. "We are promoting an economic sector – agricultural biotechnology – in which our province is world class, a sector that is helping shape our wide open future."

Members of Team Saskatchewan for the Washington trip represent government, industry and academic leaders.

"Ag-West Biotech is excited that in 2003 the Saskatchewan delegation will be led by Minister Eric Cline, whose presence will lend weight to our business dealings while in Washington," Ag-West Biotech President Peter McCann said. "Ag-West Biotech is particularly pleased that many small Saskatchewan biotech companies, some of whom we've helped, are able to find business opportunities with international players at Bio 2003."

Saskatchewan is one of the world's leading centres for agricultural biotechnology, with 30 per cent of Canada's agricultural biotechnology industry located here.

Saskatchewan will have a trade booth at the convention and members of Team Saskatchewan have meetings set up with key international business and government representatives while they are in Washington.

While at Bio 2003, the province will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Andhra Pradesh India on future co-operation in agricultural biotechnology, and hold an event profiling successful Saskatchewan biotechnology companies for the delegates and the media.

Other Team Saskatchewan missions are planned for the World Forestry Congress in Quebec City in late September and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Conference in Toronto in early October. Team Saskatchewan is part of the government's Our Future is Wide Open efforts to attract business investment to the province.

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Bob Ellis Industry and Resources Regina Phone: (306)787-8277