The Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council’s (MRAC) 13th Annual General Meeting, “Agriculture as a Solution Provider,” will be held on March 19, 2009 at the Victoria Inn in Brandon, Manitoba. The AGM will feature keynote speaker Ted Bilyea, former executive vice-president of Maple Leaf Foods, as well as presentations by Waldo Thiessen and Anthony Mintenko with the Prairie Fruit Growers Association, and Alphonsus Utioh with the Food Development Centre. There will also be several displays from agricultural groups who have projects supported by MRAC funding.
“Agriculture is very much poised to be a ‘solution provider’ and MRAC is excited to be there at the leading edge to help facilitate the process,” said Ted Eastley, MRAC executive director.
MRAC AGM 2009 Keynote Speaker: Maurice (Ted) Bilyea, M.A., B.A.
After a 35-year successful career with the same company, Ted Bilyea retired in 2005 as executive vice-president of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. Prior to that, he was president of Maple Leaf Foods International. Today, Ted is an agri-food consultant specializing in innovation for clients in the private and public sectors. He was also recently appointed as a committee member of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA).
MRAC AGM 2009 Presentations by:
On-farm safety is a growing concern in the agricultural industry. Waldo Thiessen, executive director of the Prairie Fruit Growers Association, and Anthony Mintenko, fruit crops business development specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, will discuss an ongoing MRAC-funded project that focuses on implementing a Manitoba Fruit Industry On-farm safety pilot program.
The Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie has created a variety of food products such as rye bread and cereal bars using Wheat Distillers’ Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS). The Wheat DDGS improves the products nutritional profile. Alphonsus Utioh, FDC product and process development manager, will discuss the results of this project, which received funding from MRAC.
MRAC AGM 2009 includes displays from:
• BiomassBest
• Canadian Wheat Board
• Ducks Unlimited Canada
• Food Development Centre
• Manitoba Cattle Producers Association
• Manitoba Conservation Districts Association
• Manitoba Farm and Rural Stress Line
• Manitoba Forage Council
• Manitoba Zero Tillage Research Association
• Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute
• Prairie Fruit Growers Association
• University of Manitoba Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
More program and registration information is available at www.mrac.ca.
