Agribusiness Projects
1. Increase Value-Added Agriculture
With the understanding that a number of initiatives are underway in the region this initiative will respect and support existing projects as required while promoting the importance of value-added development in the region. As the packing plant moves forward additional feedlots will be required in the region. A shared regional business plan and template may be developed and made available for use by all regional feedlot projects saving cost and time.
Action Plan
- Develop a project committee.
- Support value-added initiatives underway in the region encouraging the development of supply networks.
- Continue to build regional capacity for new value-added initiatives.
- Promote the importance of value-added development and resulting economic spin-offs.
- Research bio-diesel opportunities for value-added agriculture when human resources and funding are available.
- Work in partnership with a university class project or engage a research class to assist with the project.
Regional food processing facility project
- Engage project committee consisting of two volunteers and SAFRR Business Development Specialist
- Invite additional participants
- Do a preliminary regional industry assessment to determine:
- Inventory existing food processors in the region
- Assess needs of regional food processors
- Identify new and emerging food processors in the region
- Identify possible locations for the project
- Identify possible existing facilities
- Existing and future demand
- Based on assessment the committee will move to feasibility study and business plan when human and financial resources are available.
- Encourage the development of a regional food processors network that provides access to appropriate training, workshops and mentorship.
Possible Sources of Leadership:Volunteers from the Agribusiness Leadership Team, Saskatchewan Agriculture Food Rural Revitalization, Saskatchewan Regional Economic & Co-operative Development, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, stakeholders from existing value-added projects, Cypress Hill and Southwest Regional Economic Development Authorities, Southwest Community Futures Development Corporation, banks and credit unions, accountants, South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development, Cypress Hills Regional College.
2. Diversification Beyond Agriculture
Two Agribusiness Leadership Team volunteers are committed to advancing this project in a leadership role. Cross-sector discussions with tourism at a small committee level will determine commitment. The busy season begins in April for both sectors, as a result limited leadership time commitment will be available until after the end of October. Groundwork for this project needs to be completed prior to the end of October, with implementation during the winter and early spring for a regional launch in the 2006 season.
Action Plan
- Facilitate a committee meeting with volunteers of both sectors to determine terms of reference to advance the project.
- Establish a leadership team to provide leadership, assist with networking and path finding.
- Seek funding to advance Phase One of the project, which would address feasibility, regional capacity building, and development of a regional strategy and governance model to create the framework for diversifying beyond agriculture.
- Contract human resources to deliver Phase One under the direction of the leadership team to be completed by October 15, 2005.
- Based on the results of Phase One the leadership team will develop a strategy for Phase Two which will include development of a marketing strategy, marketing materials for participants, training as required, recruitment of additional participants in preparation for 2006 season. A business plan will be developed. The project will require continued financial support for co-ordination, marketing, networking and development of materials.
- Phase Three will be rollout and launch in 2006 as per the business plan with human resources in place to advance the project, track the results and make recommendations for the following year.
Possible Sources of Leadership: Ag industry leaders, Saskatchewan Regional Economic & Co-operative Development, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development, Southwest and Cypress Hills Regional Economic Development Authority, Southwest Community Futures Development Corporation, and regional tourism organizations.
3. Linking Agriculture / Tourism / Kyoto / Education
Liase with federal and provincial governments, universities, research facilities, municipal governments, SARM and others to identify potential opportunities for the region. Determine an action plan based on the outcomes of discussions.
Action Plan
To be determined.
Possible Sources of Leadership:Saskatchewan Regional Economic & Co-operative Development, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, and volunteers from the Agribusiness Leadership Team.
4. Find and Develop Markets in the Global Marketplace
This is a five-year project. Proponents will use a collaborative approach working together with agribusiness and governments to identify existing and potential market opportunities value-added and other agricultural products. A governance structure that meets the needs of the project will be developed. The project will require a minimum of annual evaluation with appropriate adjustments to accomplish established outcomes.
Action Plan
- Engage proponents.
- Identify existing and potential market opportunities.
- Develop governance structure.
- Develop a regional strategy to find and develop new markets.
- Set targets and allocate resources.
- Develop the business plan.
- Using materials developed engage appropriate resources to deliver targets.
- Evaluate results annually making recommendations.
- Implement recommendations, adjust the plan, and move forward to subsequent year.
- Annually engage regional businesses through seminars or conferences to advance new opportunities identified and adjustments required to compete in the global marketplace.
- Support development of new products and opportunities through business and government working collaboratively.
Possible Sources of leadership:Saskatchewan Regional Economic & Co-operative Development, Value-added business leaders, South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Southwest Municipal Government Association, Cypress Hill and Southwest Regional Economic Development Authorities, and Southwest Community Futures Development Corporation.
5. Address Regional Labour Shortage
Use a collaborative approach working together with other existing projects in the region to avoid duplication. LARC has leadership in place and is working toward developing a strategy for the project.
Action Plan
Refer this initiative to LARC leadership committee for discussion.
Suggestions for actions in this initiative included creating incentives that create attachment to smaller communities in the region through bursaries, tax incentives or forgiving a portion of student loans over time. A condition of the bursary or incentive would be that young workers would commit to employment in the designated community in the region for a specified period of time. This would assist in recruiting and retaining young workers to smaller communities in the region.
Possible Sources of Leadership: Cypress Hills Regional College, Southwest Chambers of Commerce in the region, CanSask Career and Employment Services.
6. Work Together with Governments to Address Issues and Develop a Stronger Agribusiness Sector in Saskatchewan
Recruit an experienced solutions focused project committee that compiles the issues and takes them forward to government together with recommended solutions. Collaborate with government regarding the issues and solutions engaging departments, ministers and the region as appropriate.
Action Plan
- Recruit the committee
- Committee selects leadership
- Outline goals and objectives
- Develop strategy
- Compile issues and solutions
- Implement strategy as developed
Possible Sources of Leadership: Leadership or project managers of regional economic development initiatives.
7. Work with Governments to Create Certainty in Agribusiness
The leadership team will develop terms of reference and engage a consultant to provide a report complete with recommendations to the leadership team.
Work together with existing agribusiness trainers and Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization to engage regional participation of farmers and ranchers.
Action Plan
- Research federal and provincial methods used in agriculture in the past and the outcomes of processes used.
- Research sectors other than agriculture for successful models that may be applied to agribusiness.
- Develop a model and test it in the region.
- Engage regional agribusiness leaders to become ambassadors of leadership training to encourage regional participation in training.
- Develop a regional agribusiness mentorship program.
Possible Sources of Leadership: Volunteers from the Agribusiness Leadership Team, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, industry leaders, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Saskatchewan Regional Economic & Co-operative Development, accountants, banks and credit unions, South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development.
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