Double province’s agri-food production, expert urges committee

Alberta’s agri-food sector is leaving money on the table and the government should set its sights on doubling production by 2025, a legislative committee heard Wednesday.

The sector has managed to keep pace with global competitors thanks to investments in innovation but “now we need to figure out how we’re going to be better than the rest of the world,” said Stan Blade, the dean of the University of Alberta agriculture program.

The agriculture sectors in the Netherlands and Israel were repeatedly used as models at the committee for how the Alberta government can support innovation in the province.

In Holland, the industry drives about $114 billion in total exports, more than 10 times the size of Alberta exports.

Blade said Scotland has had success by focusing on key areas and setting easily tracked goals.

“Right now in this province, we don’t have targets on what we want to accomplish,” said Blade.

Lofty goals are becoming a theme for the industry. A recent report from the prime minister’s economic advisory council suggested a target of doubling the Canadian agri-food industry’s global market share.

In its submission to the standing committee on Alberta’s economic future, the U of A recommended cultivating expertise, trying to align the various parts of a very diverse industry and growing the markets available to producers.

The committee is hearing panel presentations during an inquiry into the agri-food and agribusiness sectors at the Federal Building on Wednesday and Thursday.

Brad Ferguson, the president of the Edmonton Economic Development Corp., said the government should play a bigger role in supporting entrepreneurs using its own buying power.

Alberta Health Services, K-12 schools and universities and colleges could purchase food for patients and students from local agri-food operations and supply healthier food while supporting local businesses.

“What a wonderful opportunity to scale small businesses here,” said Ferguson.

The key to growing the industry is by taking these kinds of big steps, he said.

“We need to ruffle some feathers because taking an incremental approach isn’t going to get us there,” he said.