There are many terms that characterize producers, and those whose main living is in the agricultural industry, and they very much show why Saskatchewan is a world leader on many fronts, particularly in agriculture.
Producers, whether of grain or livestock (or both), and those involved in servicing and supplying those producers, are enterprising, inventive and resilient, are quick to recover, and are tough and hardy people who generally look upon setbacks as simply an opportunity to do better, or find a new way to do things.
To a large degree, this is why agriculture is so important to Saskatchewan, and to the southeast region, even in an area where the petroleum industry has taken such a solid hold and makes big contributions to the local economy.
For those in agriculture, it's not just that they are the backbone of the local economy, it's also a way of life; the love of the land, and being interdependent with the land and with nature, is part of the very fabric of the province, and the character of the families and entrepreneurs who make up local business and agri-business communities. The result is, this province continues to have one of the strongest export programs in the country, as this province plays a key role in feeding the world, and the economy continues to grow and expand at a time when other regions of the country are struggling to make things happen in their economies.
To be sure, the face of agriculture is changing, as it needs to do in a world of changing needs and growing populations, and education about our food supply and how it relates to our health continues to expand.
One of those changes occurred a year ago as the Canadian Wheat Board had to undergo an identity change as they seek to continue to have a presence in the grain industry; other changes include the development of crop varieties that can grow in Saskatchewan's climate but were previously not suitable, including corn and soybeans as just two examples.
Change is good, and growth and expansion are always positive, particularly when it helps strengthen an industry that lays as a vital and important part of the life and activity of the province.
As the province continues to move forward and more and more people are happy and proud to call Saskatchewan their home, agriculture will also continue to have a major part in that development and to contribute to the life of the province.
