Two of the biggest names in Saskatchewan business have made a major value-added agricultural announcement this week – Federated Co-op (FCL) and AGT Foods have joined forces to undertake another canola-crushing plant.
This canola-crushing plant one will be in Regina, providing feedstock for a previously announced environmentally-friendly renewable diesel project at the Co-op Refinery.
This news comes on the heels of FCL’s announcement of plans for carbon-capture projects at its Regina refinery and the Belle Plaine ethanol facility.
All of this is being described by FCL as an Integrated Agricultural Complex worth about $2 billion. The latest project – the joint venture with AGT for a canola-crush operation – is valued at $360 million and could generate up to 300 permanent jobs when completed.
While these announcements are significant in their own right, they also symbolize the changing face of Saskatchewan agriculture as we move more aggressively towards greater processing here in Saskatchewan – converting basic commodities such as canola into oil and fuel.
In a world where supply chains have been challenged, doing more closer to the producer may earn even greater importance going forward.
