Value-Added Agriculture Key to Success

October 6, 2024

Key points of this story:

• Adding value to farm production is key.
• Black Fox Distillery uses triticale for whisky.
• Yorkton is a hub for value-added processing.
• Oats, canola, and flax are processed locally.
• Proximity to markets reduces transportation costs.
• "Peaola" chips failed due to high transport costs.

When it comes to economic development in Saskatchewan, there are some core principles that should generally be followed. While there are always exceptions to the rules in business, in Saskatchewan, there are a couple of general precepts that are at least worth considering. The first was noted by Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote, co-founder, co-owner, and CEO of Black Fox Farm and Distillery, during a media scrum before her recent presentation at the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce business dinner. Stefanyshyn-Cote, who, along with her husband John Cote, operates the distillery just outside Saskatoon, said that an important business consideration in the province is anything that adds value to on-farm commodity production. It is an idea that certainly works for her, as the couple grows triticale, which becomes whisky and gin. This concept is certainly familiar to Yorkton, a city that has become something of a hub for value-added processing of farm products.