Innovation Making a Difference
Agrifood companies see collaboration as essential to advancing sector
Collaboration is at the heart of any thriving sector. When expertise is combined, innovation is accelerated—leading to more benefits for a wider portion of society.
For Canada’s agrifood sector, this collaboration has come, in recent years, through projects aimed at the development of improved crop varieties, more sustainable processing technology, more functional ingredients, and healthier foods and beverages. The combined result has meant a growing economy, a wider selection of products on grocery store shelves, new jobs and an overall stronger Canada.
“As a global community, we are facing big challenges when it comes to feeding and fueling a growing world while increasing sustainable production. Collaboration is one way we can help solve those challenges,” Corteva Agriscience Canada Commercial Leader Loralee Orr said. “Collaboration also allows us to secure our company’s future. The world needs sustainable solutions to food security, climate change and to feed the energy transition. We want to lead the way today and tomorrow. Collaboration is a path to get us there.”
Over the past several years, Corteva hasn’t hesitated to utilize collaboration as a tool to advance its work. Not only has it taken part in three Protein Industries Canada projects, it also takes on industry partnerships outside of the cluster.
In early 2024, for example, it announced a partnership with John Deere, focused on combining John Deere’s digital and onboard capabilities with Corteva’s agronomic expertise to help farmers implement data-driven recommendations. The partnership is another step toward improving productivity in the North American agrifood sector.
“When we collaborate, we come up with solutions that can revolutionize operations for our customers. That is good for us, and it is good for the farmer,” Orr said.
Continue reading article Agrifood companies see collaboration as essential to advancing sector
Commercializing high-protein canola seed and sunflower meal
How a small, family-owned company is becoming one of the top snack-food providers in North America
For more than 10 years, Three Farmers has been supplying families with a steady supply of healthy, protein-packed snacks. Since 2011, the family-owned business has grown from a line of roasted lentil snack-packs, to a selection of snacks on the go that feature Canadian-grown ingredients such as chickpeas, fava beans and the ever-popular lentils.
“We started with this whole concept of adding value to agricultural goods that we grow here in Saskatchewan, and taking them to consumers in a more transparent and direct way,” Three Farmers Founder and CEO Natasha Vandenhurk said. “We wanted to prioritize nutrient-dense crops that were great for the environment, that grew well in our climate and that would add value to consumers in their everyday diet, and so legumes and pulses are that exact item that made sense.”
Alongside growing their snack line, Three Farmers has been able to significantly scale their distribution and processing operations. In February 2024, the company opened a new, expanded manufacturing facility in Saskatoon, Sask., helping support its distribution to retailers across North America.
Vandenhurk said that achieving such a level of success has come, in part, thanks to feedback from customers and stakeholders, partnerships with the right suppliers, and a willingness to “hit the street.” This provided them not only with an opportunity to build on their plans, but also to address any skill gaps and do any additional necessary research.
“Surround yourself with good people. You need good advisors who’ve been there, done that, you need good team members that can fill in the skills gaps that you don’t necessarily have yourself, and you just need to always be listening. Make sure you’re listening to your consumer and continually iterating that product to make it better,” Vandenhurk said.
