Join us in Saskatoon, Feb. 11–13, 2020 for the 25th anniversary of the CAAR Conference, an event that will be equal parts celebration and education.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Dr. Steven Webb, Global Institute for Food Security
Public/Private Partnerships and Collaborations are Essential to the Design, Development and Deployment of Agricultural Innovations
12:45 – 1:45 p.m. | Thursday, Feb. 13

Dr. Steven Webb, CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) will close the speaker program with a keynote presentation focusing on the valuable role that partnerships will play in the changing landscape of Canadian agriculture, and where ag retailers fit into the equation.

“For GIFS, one of the key partners we need enhanced relationships with are the producers, a group that ag retailers have a lot of strong connections with,” says Webb. “By communicating with ag retailers, GIFS and our other partners can work on projects that are relevant and important for our producers to create economic and environmental value.”

GIFS is a non-profit that was established by three founding partners – Nutrien (formerly PotashCorp), the University of Saskatchewan and the Government of Saskatchewan. The institute’s mission is to develop innovative solutions for the globally sustainable production of safe and nutritious food, and it does this by collaborating with diverse partners. GIFS recently completed an updated organizational strategy to collaboratively advance agriculture and food production. Webb says the strategy highlights the importance of working with retailers, producers and other stakeholders throughout the value chain.

“I’ll be taking the opportunity to introduce GIFS to retailers and talk about our phase two strategy in the context of public/private partnerships and collaborations,” he says. “Retailers are a key nexus of knowledge and understanding of not only what the current issues are, but they’re also at the front lines of emerging trends.

We have technologies that may be of interest to retailers themselves in the short term. I hope we can build relationships so we can gather more input from retailers on what we should be doing from a research perspective.”

Retailers can expect to leave Webb’s presentation with knowledge of what GIFS is and what it does, and how the GIFS network of industry partnerships can serve as a resource that they can use in their conversations with customers. Webb looks forward to building relationships between GIFS and ag retailers in the coming years to benefit both retailers and their customers.

SPEAKER SESSION

Craig Klemmer, Farm Credit Canada
Trade, Dollar and Interest Rates: What Does it Mean for the Health of Canadian Agriculture?
11 – 11:50 a.m. | Thursday, Feb. 13

Craig Klemmer, principal agricultural economist with Farm Credit Canada, will bring his specialized insight and analysis of macroeconomic trends to shed light onto how national and global factors are driving the purchasing behaviour of farmers, and what it means for the health of the overall agriculture industry.

“There are a number of factors in the Canadian economy, the U.S. economy and the world economy that are outside of our control, but have a significant impact on our business,” says Klemmer. “I want to help the audience be able to make sense of some of these factors to equip them with the knowledge to manage and navigate these turbulent times.”

Klemmer says he hopes retailers gain awareness about how trends in the marketplace can impact their companies, the realities their farm customers are dealing with and leave his presentation with “some curiosity” about how to use this information to make strategic decisions and provide value for their customers.

CAAR'S CHOICE AWARDS BANQUET

Ag Retailers Shine at the CAAR’s Choice Awards!

The CAAR’s Choice Awards give retailers the opportunity to recognize the industry’s finest for their hard work, leadership and commitment to the industry. Along with the accolades, recipients will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a trip to the 2020 CAAR Conference in Saskatoon, Sask. to accept their award in front of their peers at the gala CAAR’s Choice Awards Banquet.

Click here for a list of categories and nomination forms.

KEY CONFERENCE DATES

Hotel Registration: Book your stay in Saskatoon before Jan. 10, 2020 and enjoy a discounted room rate at the conference host hotel – the Hilton Garden Inn. Be sure to indicate you are attending the CAAR Conference when you reserve your room.

Conference Registration: Early bird registration is now closed. You can register for the CAAR Conference online until Feb. 1, 2020 at a rate of $295 for CAAR members. Walk-up registration will be available on-site for $345 for anyone who missed online registration. Additional items like CAAR’s Choice Awards Banquet tickets and Icebreaker Cocktail Reception tickets are available when you register. Please contact Lady Gabilo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 204-989-9304 if you have any questions about registration.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make sure you’re signed up for conference updates.