First Agricultural Round Table Held

The key focus of the first provincial agricultural round table, held today in Coldbrook, is to find new ways to expand agriculture through the development of a strategy of innovation, research and development in the province's agri-food industry.

"We need to constantly keep moving the industry forward, to look for new and innovative ways to address future needs and build bridges to other sectors to create growth in agriculture," said Ed Lorraine, Minister of Agriculture and Marketing. "This round table and the numerous other conferences held in Nova Scotia show that the industry is looking for new opportunities to expand and contribute even more to the provincial economy and Nova Scotians."

More than 100 representatives from agri-business, government and research and farming communities will be attending today's round table, which is an expanded follow-up to the successful Kings County Agricultural Roundtable held in February 1998.

"We want to create a think-tank atmosphere in the province's agricultural industry where unique partnerships are encouraged to solve challenges and to help capitalize on new opportunities or address priorities," said Gary Morton, senior business management specialist with the Department of Agriculture and Marketing and a member of the round table planning committee. "This conference gives people from a number of sectors the opportunity to talk through some issues and network to lay the groundwork for addressing priority issues."

Through guest lecturers and a workshop/discussion format, the round table will produce an outline for at least two priority actions that can be completed in the next 10 months to grow agriculture in Nova Scotia.

Speakers include: Jim Stanley, Technology and Science Secretariat; Ted Rhodes, president, Rhotherm Systems, Halifax; Don Murray, chair, Canadian Agricultural New Uses Council, Guelph, Ontario; and Jim Eisenhauer, president, ABCO Industries Ltd., Lunenburg.

The round table is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Marketing, the Kings County Centre for Economic Development, the Technology and Science Secretariat and the Taste of Nova Scotia Program.