Food And Drinks

EDR launches ‘bold but real looking’ ag and meals technique for Regina

By Frank C. Bonner

  1. Local News

“We feel very strongly that Regina can not only be the Canadian leader, but global leader, with this ag and food strategy,” said Kyle Jeworski, CEO of Viterra North America.

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Lynn Giesbrecht Viterra North America CEO Kyle Jeworski speaks to media during a news conference regarding a partnership with the Regina Food Bank held at the food bank on Winnipeg Street in Regina, Saskatchewan on May 5, 2021. Viterra North America CEO Kyle Jeworski speaks to media during a news conference regarding a partnership with the Regina Food Bank held at the food bank on Winnipeg Street in Regina, Saskatchewan on May 5, 2021. Photo by BRANDON HARDER /Regina Leader-Post

As Regina’s agricultural and economic leaders gathered to launch a new strategy to guide the region’s agriculture sector through the next decade, the word ambitious kept popping up.

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It’s one of the few words that adequately describe Regina’s Agriculture and Food Innovation Strategy, pieced together by Economic Development Regina (EDR) to see the city and surrounding area through to 2030.

Kyle Jeworski, CEO of Viterra North America and co-chair of EDR’s agriculture and food steering committee, described the strategy as “ambitious yet realistic.”

“We feel very strongly that Regina cannot only be the Canadian leader, but global leader, with this ag and food strategy,” Jeworski said.

“We are not trying to develop and/or expand an industry that we have no inherent strength on. We are in the heart of agricultural production. We have some of the best, most sophisticated farmers in the world located in direct proximity to the Greater Regina Area.”

The strategy was released late Monday afternoon to a full room of partners, investors and supporters. It includes targets of adding 30,000 new jobs, growing the area’s agri-food exports from just under $500 million to $1 billion and attracting five new companies by 2030.

This comes a year after EDR released The Regina Advantage: A Plan for Economic Growth 2020-2030 — a growth plan for Regina that highlighted the agriculture and food sector as a key to growing the city.

Since then, the agriculture and food steering committee — made up of EDR board members and major community partners — has been working on this most recent strategy.

Tina Beaudry-Mellor, chief economic growth officer for EDR, said the unique partnerships the Regina area has with its post-secondary institutions also gives it a distinct advantage. Working with the University of Regina, the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic ensures young people are bringing their skills and ideas to the industry.

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They also bring with them a new sense of a global vision with growing concerns about sustainability and the environment, combined with a passion for technology and entrepreneurship.

“All of these things play a role in allowing us to get our food to more people with less of an environmental degrading impact than ever before … so I think for me that’s really the most important driver of this, is that sort of global mission,” Beaudry-Mellor said.

This is an exciting time for agriculture in the province, said Jeworski, but he also stressed this kind of agricultural development is nothing new to the area.

“It’s something that obviously has been the backbone of our province and the city for over 100 years, so when we look at growth opportunities for the Greater Regina Area, it’s just a natural fit for us to be looking at how we build upon our strengths on ag and food to develop this strategy,” he said.

“At the end of the day, people need to eat and people want more and more a sustainable source of their nutrition and I think we are so well positioned to provide that sustainable opportunity for their dietary preference.”

  1. In a lengthy presentation to council members, Barry Lacey (executive director of financial strategy and sustainability for the City of Regina) outlined the current and forecasted economic environment, including challenges and opportunities that will inform the city's 2022 operating budget.

    City of Regina outlines economic environment as it develops 2022 budget

  2. Dan McCann, founder of Precision AI, left, explains the company's drones, which were built to selectively apply herbicide in agriculture, following a news conference on Research Drive in Regina on Aug. 20, 2020. The news conference was regarding the use of AI technology in herbicide application.

    New AI technology aims to lower chemical waste, cut costs for farmers

  3. Tim Shultz, co-owner of Local & Fresh grocery store, stands next to plant-based food and drinks being sold in the shop on Hamilton Street in Regina, Saskatchewan on April 28, 2021. BRANDON HARDER/ Regina Leader-Post

    State of Agriculture: Pandemic pushes local product purchases

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