Singapore could become an important market for food and ingredients from Canadian farms including pulses, oilseeds and grains.  |  File photo

Can Singapore be a plant protein partner?

Southeast Asia is an important growth market and could become a processing hub for Canadian food ingredients

WINNIPEG — Canada may need a partner in southeast Asia to tap into booming demand for food, ingredients and protein in that region. Singapore is one option, says the head of Protein Industries Canada. A delegation from Singapore visited Canada this summer and met with Protein Industries Canada, a group trying to make this country […] Read more

Panelists at a recent conference said regulations and mandatory food labelling are necessary for food safety and nutrition but may discourage new entrants in the sector who don’t understand the reasons.  |  File photo

Knowledge can fix regulation

Glacier FarmMedia – Public disconnect from agriculture and misunderstanding of agricultural processes may be causes for regulatory concern, attendees of a recent Protein Industries Canada conference heard. Canada is a world leader in agricultural innovation and has set the standard for gene editing and plant breeding regulations, said speakers on one panel about regulatory reform. […] Read more

Protein Industries Canada director Dave Donnan, left, Heidi Dutton of Sunnydale Foods and Lovingly Made, Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute and Murad Al-Katib of AGT Foods take the stage during a panel discussion at the 2024 Protein Industries Canada conference.  |  Janelle Rudolph photo

Ag productivity hampered by policy: speakers

Panelists warn that if Canada doesn’t find ways to make itself attractive to agri-food businesses, other countries will

Glacier FarmMedia – Agriculture and the agri-food sector can be a powerful tool for Canada both economically and geopolitcally. That’s according to Jack Mintz, economist and president’s fellow at the University of Calgary’s Public Policy Institute. Agriculture is a high-productivity sector with great strategic opportunities on the world stage, he told attendees of the Protein […] Read more


Partnerships must be built on relationships and co-existence, fostered through community and culture, and a show of understanding outside of the office or boardroom, Cadmus Delorme said. To build these relationships, he encouraged producers to involve themselves with Indigenous communities near their homes. | Screencap via x.com/@OneHoop

Responsibility seen as key component of reconciliation

A First Nations leader says all Canadians, including farmers, must focus on taking action to correct past wrongs

Glacier FarmMedia – Cadmus Delorme, chief executive officer and partner of OneHoop Consulting, says society has inherited this moment in history, and it includes responsibility for truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities. Responsibility is not to be confused with blame or creation of harm, he said, while speaking at the Protein Industries Canada […] Read more

Bill Greuel will replace Rick Burton, who is retiring after more than 35 years with the agriculture ministry and eight years as deputy. | Screencap via x.com/@proteinindcan

New Sask. deputy ag minister starts in Aug.

REGINA — Bill Greuel is leaving Protein Industries Canada to become Saskatchewan’s deputy agriculture minister. He replaces Rick Burton, who is retiring after more than 35 years with the agriculture ministry and eight years as deputy. Greuel left the ministry to head PIC, one of Canada’s five innovation clusters, in 2018. His departure is effective […] Read more


Field testing of a new high-protein canola hybrid shows that it still has desirable traits but contains less fibre than other canola hybrids.  |  File photo

Researchers work to narrow canola’s protein gap

A new high-protein canola hybrid developed by Corteva is being tested in feeding trials on poultry, hogs and fish

WINNIPEG — The North American market for swine feed is worth US$17 to $27 billion, or possibly more. There are dozens of reports that estimate the size of the market, so it’s hard to nail down the exact number. Regardless, it’s big. Corteva Agriscience is planning to tap into that market with a new type […] Read more

The plant protein industry says companies that remain after the current market upheaval will have to be more focused on markets that matter and products that people are excited to keep eating.  |  Getty Images

Plant-based protein sector learns from recent downturn

Industry officials say they have learned lessons from recent marketing challenges and remain positive about the future

Lessons have been learned from the downturn in the plant-based protein marketplace, including what could have been done differently when it came to marketing, product development and consumer expectations. Attendees heard that message during a panel of industry representatives in the plant-based ingredient space at the recent Agri Tech Venture Forum in Toronto. “The problem […] Read more

It’s hoped that growth in the protein sector will result in more investment by governments and businesses into plant breeding, agronomy and other areas of research, especially for fababeans.  |  File photo

New project puts fababeans in the spotlight

Companies sign onto Protein Industries Canada initiative to boost plant protein, and fababeans are one of the stars

Glacier FarmMedia – A new $24.5-million project backed by Protein Industries Canada includes a group of plant protein companies working to tackle some of the sector’s biggest hurdles. The national cluster for protein is teaming up with Roquette, Prairie Fava, BioNeutra and Plant Up to improve innovation, come up with more diversified products and improve […] Read more


A high-protein variety of soybeans could affect the global marketplace for plant proteins and Canada’s strategy to become a major player in this sector.  |  File photo

High-protein soybeans could benefit Western Canada

Early-maturing varieties grown in Manitoba have a reputation for low protein and face a discount in global markets

WINNIPEG — A San Francisco company may soon commercialize a line of high-protein soybeans, which could lead to peas, wheat and other crops with more protein in the grain. In April, The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the development of the gene-edited, high-protein soybeans, saying they don’t require further review or regulation. Amfora, the company […] Read more

The head of Protein Industries Canada expects that Louis Dreyfus’s proposed pea plant in Saskatchewan will be followed by new announcements this year.  |  File photo

New pea plant seen restoring reputation

SASKATOON — Louis Dreyfus Co.’s announcement that it is building a pea protein isolate plant in Saskatchewan should help restore Canada’s recently tarnished reputation, says an industry official. The industry suffered a setback when Merit Functional Foods, a pea and canola protein manufacturing plant in Winnipeg, was placed into receivership last year. Related stories: U.S. […] Read more