It’s been a dry and dusty spring in Saskatchewan. Whether this is due to climate change or just another drought on the Prairies is hard to determine, but there’s no doubt in the minds of climate scientists that human activity is affecting the climate globally, and serious action needs to be taken to mitigate the effects and to adapt to new weather patterns.

Saskatchewan can be a leader in developing solutions for feeding the world. An ag-biotech hub, our research centres—such as the Global Institute for Food Security, the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre, the Canadian Light Source, National Research Council, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and the Global Institute for Water Security—have attracted world-class scientists who are working on solving food and water related problems.

This activity also has an impact on the economy in this province, as companies take advantage of the research capabilities here and the proximity to agriculture production. With our new supercluster—Protein Industries Canada—ramping up to take in proposals, we are anticipating growth in commercialization in the value-added food and bioproducts areas.

I hope that you can join us for our Annual Meeting event on June 27th. It is taking place at the new Staybridge Suites on College Drive in Saskatoon (a new location for us!). The title is More Beans Please? Solving the Protein Puzzle. Considering how much play protein is getting in the news, this appears to be a timely topic! We have invited experts in beef, plant-based protein, insects and even cultured meat to discuss both science and marketing aspects. A nutrition scientist will wrap it all up by tell us how differing protein sources fit into Canada’s food guide. Please see event details here. Everyone is welcome (registration is required).

I would also like to congratulate Ag-West Bio’s President and CEO Wilf Keller, who just received the Eminent Scientist Award at the International Rapeseed Congress in Berlin. Wilf is so deserving of the recognition and the Ag-West Bio team is very happy for him!

I hope you enjoy the following articles. We welcome articles from our members (please read the Bio Bulletin submission guidelines). To keep up with news and events in Saskatchewan’s bioscience industry, watch for our Weekly Update. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Watch for our annual report coming soon!