Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz recently addressed the 38th Annual Convention of the Western Barley Growers Association (WBGA) where he underscored the importance of the barley industry in creating jobs and economic growth in Canada.
Minister Ritz highlighted that the future for the grain industry is bright in Canada. Working together with producers, the Canadian Government will continue to build a modern, competitive and profitable grain industry in Alberta and across Canada through an aggressive trade agenda, Canadian Grain Commission reform, supply chain improvements, and strategic investments in innovation under the Growing Forward 2 federal-provincial-territorial initiative, all in addition to marketing freedom for western barley and wheat.
The barley industry is an important economic driver in Western Canada, with over $700 million in cash receipts and over $700 million in exports.
The Canadian beer industry brings $14 billion to the Canadian economy and over 160,000 jobs.
