The Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan has partnered with the British Columbia Investment Agriculture Foundation, the Alberta Agriculture and Food Council, the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council and their respective provincial governments to form the Western Canadian Value Chain Initiative.

Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan value chain specialist Bryan Kosteroski says the program is intended to expand the process of adding value to products produced across western Canada that consumers and retailers are looking for.

Bryan Kosteroski-Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan

A value chain is market focused demand driven rather than a traditional supply driven process in which producers and or business enterprises collaborate to develop a value added product.

For example, right now we have a value chain that has approximately 180 bison producers across western Canada.

They've worked together in collaboration with retailers in developing value added products that consumers are looking for.

For example in this 180 producer group there's three different producer groups so the producers are divided into different feeding programs to provide a consistent product to the retailer and the consumer.

For example, in a value chain, we'll go talk to retailers and buyers in Canada and the U.S. and ask them what they're looking for so we can come back to our value chains, for example, in the bison industry and say this is what this retailer is looking for and this is what the consumer is looking for so let's see if we can develop this program for this market.

Kosteroski says the program targets producer groups and small and mid size businesses looking to collaborate in developing strategies to go to retail and food service in Canada or around the world.

Additional information on the initiative can be access through the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan web site at www.sccd.sk.ca.