By Alice McFarlane

Financial support for Saskatchewan-based agriculture research and manufacturing

Aug 14, 2025 | 11:14 AM

Saskatchewan continues to be a world leader in agricultural production and innovation.

The federal government will provide money to four organizations for the advanced breeding capabilities for crops and livestock, expand local grain bin manufacturing, increase food processing opportunities, and promote value-added agriculture:

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced funding of over $4.2 million with the majority of that money going towards an expansion of a Watson, Sask. grain bin manufacturing company.

Venlaw Manufacturing Ltd. will receive $2.1 million to be used to install novel automation equipment for new grain bin manufacturing.

Rebecca Paszt and Tom Dooley are the co-owners of Venlaw Manufacturing.

Freedom and Flexibility

How App-Based Work Creates Economic Opportunity

Dec 12, 2025

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

Dec 09, 2025

“Moving our business from importing and retailing grain bins to manufacturing our own product in Watson is an extremely capital-intensive venture. PrairiesCan is crucial to businesses like ours that must make massive capital cost investments to create Canadian products and jobs.”

The Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan (GIFS) will use over $1.6 million in federal support to develop a genomic selection-based accelerated breeding program.

The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc. is receiving roughly $420,000 to purchase equipment and renovate to increase co-packing capabilities and incubation space.

Ag-West Bio Inc. will put $20,000 towards delivering the Agri-Value Forum in 2025 and 2026, an event to promote value-added agriculture in Saskatchewan.

Member of Parliament for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River and Secretary of State (Rural Development) Buckley Belanger said Saskatchewan farmers and agri-businesses know how to turn potential into results.

“These investments in local innovation will help our producers grow more, process more, and sell more — right here at home and around the world,” Belanger said.
—

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com