HARVEST MEATS EXPANDING

Released on August 3, 1999

More than 200 jobs will be created as a result of a $6 million expansion at

Harvest Meats in Yorkton by Fletcher's Fine Foods.



The new dedicated sow-kill plant will be the first in Western Canada. It will

give producers the option of shipping their sows to Yorkton for processing

rather than the United States.



"This expansion is an example of adding value to one of our primary products

and of diversifying our rural economy," Premier Roy Romanow said at today's

announcement. "It creates new wealth in the province and extends our export

potential. And most of all, it provides jobs for our people."



The project will create 50 to 70 direct jobs at the Harvest Meats plant, 38

construction jobs and 150 spin-off jobs.



Fletcher's, in which the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool has a 43 per cent interest,

the City of Yorkton and the Government of Saskatchewan have worked in

partnership on the project.



Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's Agriculture Research Branch will provide

funding up to $400,000 dollars over two years to bring new technology into the

plant. Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training will

contribute up to $450,000 over three years towards new employment and training

through the Job Start/Future Skills program.



Harvest Meats will use the Agriculture and Food funding to enhance and expand

the processing facility through purchase of an innovative cryovac packaging

process; state-of-the-art slicing equipment for the deli-products line; and

Canada's first hot boning technology.



"This project will double the capacity of Harvest's Yorkton plant and will

allow for the continued growth of our premium line of Harvest brand processed

meats," said Fred Knoedler, President and CEO of Fletcher's Fine Foods.



The JobStart/Future Skills program will enable Harvest Meats to train up to 30

people a year for new jobs and retrain the company's current staff and upgrade

their skills as new technology is introduced during the expansion.



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For more information, contact:



Martin Wrubleski George Paleologou Rick Pawliw

Agriculture and Food Fletcher's Fine Foods P-S Education

Regina Vancouver, BC Regina

Phone:(306) 787-5960 Phone:(604) 668-5800 Phone:(306) 787-5984