The major players in North America’s multi-billion dollar canola industry will meet in Victoria, BC, March 20-23, to map out canola’s future for food and fuel.

About 200 people representing all facets of the industry including growers, input suppliers, crushers, processors, exporters, researchers, regulators and marketers will discuss a strategic plan designed to grow canola to 2015.

The convention is dubbed Canola – Growing Great 2015. It’s focused on exploring the mega trends in food and fuel in North America and around the world.

Laurie Demeritt, president of the Hartman Group and David Hughes, professor emeritus of food marketing at Imperial College in London, will handle food trends. The editor of Oil World, Thomas Mielke of Hamburg, Germany and Greg Webb of Archer Daniels Midland will lead the discussion of biofuels, present and future. Jim Williams, president of WTRG Economics in Arkansas, will talk about the relationship of the petroleum and renewable fuel industries in North America.

Building a vibrant and successful canola industry to 2015 takes commitment from everyone in the industry. A panel on Thursday, March 22, will outline a plan to co-operate for mutual success. The convention will wrap with the consensus for sustainable and profitable growth that is the canola industry’s strategy to 2015.

Syngenta is the lead sponsor of the 40th annual convention of the Canola Council with Partners BASF, Bayer CropScience, Cargill Limited, the Canadian Canola Growers Association, Monsanto Canada and Pioneer Hi-Bred. Other sponsors are: ADM, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus, Dow AgroSciences, Mitsui and Company, RBC Royal Bank and TD Canada Trust Agriculture Services.

To register, go to www.canola-council.org/conference/index.htm.
There’s a 10% discount on full registration fees until January 31/07.