According to BioTalent Canada’s labour market report, Sequencing the Data, access to capital and skilled talent are the two top challenges for the biotech sector. Despite the access-to-skilled-labor challenge, only 7.6% of bio-economy companies have persons with disabilities on staff, a fi …

by Monica Gordon, Ag-West Bio Hundreds of agricultural science experts came together on June 14-16 at the Delta Bessborough in Saskatoon, to discuss a one of the most pressing issues facing the human race: how can we ensure that everyone on our planet has enough to eat?  The Emerging Tech …

A private member’s bill, C-291, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (genetically modified food), was introduced on June 14, 2016 by NDP MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault. This is the latest in a string of anti-GMO bills that have been introduced over the years. This comes on the heals of the party&rs …

An international celebration created for the bioscience industry - a Canadian concept goes global: September 26 – October 2, 2016 by Nadine Lunt, BIOTECanada The world’s population is moving past seven billion and quickly towards the nine billion person mark. This rapid a …

A growing number of notable speakers will be heading to Fargo, North Dakota, Sept. 18-21, 2016, as plans take shape for the annual Agricultural Bioscience International Conference. The event, considered to be the premier global meeting promoting innovation in agricultural bioscience, is being he …

by Noelle Chorney Synthetic biology may sound futuristic, but it is a technology that has been used successfully for many important applications in the last decade—and we are only beginning to tap its potential. Phillip Stephan, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Saskatchewan …

The Saskatchewan LEAN Improvements in Manufacturing (SLIM) program is open to agri-businesses involved in value added processing of Saskatchewan crops and livestock into food, feed, or bio-products. The goal is to help these businesses adopt best practices, new technologies and state-of-the-art …

by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Farmers in Western Canada know the benefits of well thought-out crop rotations. These can reduce the impact of harmful insects, reduce the amount of fertilizer needed, improve soil health and lengthen the period when specially bred crops remain resistant to dis …

by Elizabeth Shih Agriculture faces a daunting challenge: to sustainably feed 9.2 billion–the projected world population–by 2050. Of the anticipated increase, 86% will be in the developing world. Professor Sarah Gurr, Chair in Food Security and Head of Biosciences, University …

A new online resource aimed at connecting industry with university research expertise and resources has been launched by the Industry Liaison Office at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). The Portal for Industry Engagement is designed as a gateway to all U of S research and development resou …

An exciting new conference is being launched in Saskatoon this year, hosted by the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS). Emerging Technologies for Global Food Security: Mobilizing to the Developing World is set to run from June 14-16 at the Delta Bessborough Hotel. GIFS, Ag-West Bio and the ABI …

Farmers looking out for farmers  “It was a group of farmers who got together to suggest to the government of the day that those funds should be used to fund crop research,” says Lorence Peterson, past Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) executive director, of the beginnings …

Wilf Keller says the advancements in agricultural biotechnology have enabled Canadian farmers to produce the highest quality, world-renowned commodities. Agricultural biotechnology (sometimes known as agritech) is an area of science that employs living organisms (plants, animals and microorganis …

  by Jan Cote, AAFC, Ag in the City Chair The fifth annual Agriculture in the City will be held at the Mall at Lawson Heights, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Saturday April 9, 2016. Ag in the City is a free, family event that that demonstrates the role agriculture plays in everyone&rsqu …

by Noelle Chorney, TallOrder Communications On February 26, Erin Armstrong, CEO of the newly formed Limagrain Cereals Research Canada (LCRC), spoke at Innovation Place about this venture, a partnership between Canterra Seeds and Limagrain that will strengthen Saskatoon’s position as a leadi …

by Monica Gordon, Ag-West Bio According to Farm and Food Care’s publication “The Real Dirt On Farming,” less than 2% of Canadians have a direct connection to a farm nowadays—a distinct change from a couple decades ago. While the number of people involved in farming is …

University of Saskatchewan and University of Alberta researchers identify early signs of bone disease using synchrotron Arthritis is the leading cause of long-term disability in Canada, with osteoarthritis being the most common form of the disease. It is estimated that 14.2 per cent of Canad …

Order your Compensation Guide before March 31st - to get next year’s issue for Free!  That’s $515 in savings. Members get an extra 25% off. Ag-West Bio in partnership with BioTalent Canada is pleased to offer a Compensation Guide, providing a national review of 32 of th …

by Jackie Robin, Ag-West Bio Rex Newkirk seems to have found his ideal job as the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Endowed Research Chair in Feed Processing Technology at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). He gets to use the experience he has acquired over the years as an entrepreneur a …

Canadian pulses—dry beans, dry peas, lentils and chickpeas—are stepping into the spotlight in 2016 as the world celebrates International Year of Pulses (IYP). Chef Michael Smith is the first Canadian to pledge to eat more pulses in 2016. “Many Canadians are familiar with lentils …

by Ellen Grueter, SaskCanola Social license is a topic that is front and centre and the focus of much discussion in our industry these days. As an industry whose success has been built on innovation, the canola sector continues to advocate for evidence-based decision making. Canada has one o …

Ag-West Bio is proud to continue our official partnership with Agriculture More Than Ever. Three years ago we forged a relationship with Ag More Than Ever to help tell the real, positive story of our industry. And we’re thrilled to continue the journey together. Ag More Than Ever is a …