Keystone Agricultural Producers is calling on all candidates running in the April 19 Manitoba election to commit to making Manitoba the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Innovation.
An analysis conducted by Keystone Agricultural producers shows, over the last decade, Manitoba has cut the amount of money it invests in agricultural research in half.
KAP President Dan Mazier says government is asking farmers to innovate more while cutting its commitment to research.
Agriculture creates about $10 billion worth of economic activity. That’s 10 billion with a “B” and 62,000 jobs. I do strongly believe that that’s a higher number. Those are the numbers and if you took those 2 statistics and put those together that has a huge economic impact.
With all this talk about the bad oil times and there are certain areas of our province, there’s certain industries that are really suffering right now. Agriculture could help the Manitoba economy along here. We have to spend it though.
We have to be an industry that’s willing to adapt and that’s why investment into research and innovation is so important. If we’re going to attract the youngest and the brightest and the sharpest minds and keep people in Manitoba we’re going to have to invest in those people. That is why it’s so important to keep that economic engine purring along, be forward looking and yet looking after the needs of the industry today.
Right now they’re spending about $10 million. If we could bring that back up to current levels, like $20 million from 2007, that would be a start. At least, if nothing else, let’s get that number turned around and let’s start investing more. ~ Dan Mazier – Keystone Agricultural Producers
Mazier says farmers are adopting technology at a record rate, creating the need for many more agricultural companies that can supply that technology.
He says someone can lead the way in creating a home for those companies and he believes it can be Manitoba.
