Media Release
For Immediate Release
November 14, 2019
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) welcomed the Saskatchewan Government’s Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan: The Next Decade of Growth 2020-2030 which provides an economic roadmap for the province for the next decade.
“We are pleased to see the Growth Plan position the agriculture sector as a central pillar and important driver of the economy,” stated SSGA President Bill Huber. “We are very excited about the goals to increase livestock cash receipts to $3 billion and to double the meat processing and animal feed value-added revenue to over $1 billion.”
“We also applaud the government’s plan to develop export markets. Saskatchewan is the second largest beef producer in Canada with over 2 million beef cattle. With 30% of the Canadian beef herd, we have a huge potential for export growth,” the SSGA President stated. Key priorities for the Canadian beef industry are to develop more export opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region and to increase packing capacities to meet domestic and global demand. The Growth Plan foresees growing agri-food exports to $20 billion by 2030 and doubling export values. These export targets and the opening of provincial trade and investment offices in key export markets like Japan can capitalize on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) opportunities in the Asia-Pacific.
The government also plans to invest $30 billion in provincial infrastructure including the expansion of irrigation capacity. Irrigation contributes to establishing the security and stability of agri-food supplies which will help attract additional investment, create jobs and grow the value-added sector.
“Additional domestic canola and pulse processing capacity will directly benefit the livestock industry through the availability of additional by-products that can be upcycled as animal feed,” Huber stated. “The Growth Plan creates the potential to add value to the livestock industry through expanding the animal feeding and processing sectors in Saskatchewan.”
“We look forward to working with the government over the coming years to help achieve these targets and grow our province,” Huber added.
For more information contact:
Chad MacPherson, General Manager, SSGA
(306) 757-8523
ssga@sasktel.net
