WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Jan 21, 2014) - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced today an investment of more than $1.5 million to Pulse Canada to lead a multi-sector collaboration project of the pulse, oilseeds and grains industries to improve supply chain efficiency and reliability.

This investment, made through the AgriMarketing Program, will help build a more efficient, consistent, and reliable agricultural supply chain system for Canada's grain farmers. This will have a positive impact on the entire logistical value chain, reducing back-up at ports and railways and opening up new domestic and international markets.

This project is a collaborative effort and will receive support from many partners, including the Grain Growers of Canada (GCG), the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), the Western Grain Elevators Association (WGEA) and the Inland Terminals Association of Canada (ITAC).

Quick Facts

  • The exports of grains and canola have increased from $7.5 billion in 2000 to $21 billion in 2012. The value of pulse exports reached $1.8 billion in 2012.
  • Canadian Farmers produced over twenty million more tonnes of grain in 2013 than in 2012
  • Through multiple venues, including the Crop Logistics Working Group, the Government continues to work with industry to find efficiencies to benefit the entire agriculture sector.

Quotes

"Our Government continues to work with all parts of the grain supply chain to strengthen our logistics system so that farmers can get their products to market in a timely manner. This project will help ensure the industry has the right tools and processes in place to achieve measurable improvements in supply chain performance, leading to greater profitability."

- Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz

"There has been a lot of talk about the need for more collaboration between all commodity groups and trade organizations. With transportation and performance of the supply chain, there's no better example of an issue where most everyone has the same objectives in mind. Quite simply, we need to work together to achieve a common vision of a supply chain with the capacity to deliver what we produce today and what we expect to produce tomorrow and we need it to perform consistently and reliably so that Canada is viewed worldwide as the preferred supplier - of all commodities. This initiative brings organizations representing wheat growers, canola growers, pulse growers and soy growers together with the trade to execute a plan aimed at improving the efficiency of our supply chain."

- Nick Sekulic, Pulse Canada Chair

Associated Links

Growing Forward 2 (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

AgriMarketing Program (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Comprehensive Economic Trade and Agreement (Canada's Economic Action Plan)