STOCKMAN'S ARENA OPENS AT AGRIBITION

Released on November 21, 1999

The Stockman's Arena opened on the first day of the 1999 Canadian Western

Agribition (CWA) in Regina.



The Stockman's Arena is designed to handle the sale of specialized livestock

such as bison and elk and is one of a series of facility improvements made

possible by $2 million in funding from the Canada-Saskatchewan Agri-Food

Innovation Fund (AFIF).



"Canadian Western Agribition has been instrumental in the successful

exportation of Canadian livestock and livestock genetics for more than 25

years," Natural Resources Minister Ralph Goodale said on behalf of Agriculture

and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief.



"This funding will help the show remain a key international forum where

specialized livestock producers and marketers can meet and sell their products."



"The specialized livestock sector clearly is a very important and growing

segment of the Saskatchewan economy," Deputy Premier and Saskatchewan

Agriculture and Food Minister Dwain Lingenfelter said. "Support from AFIF

illustrates the value we place on Agribition and its relationship to making our

specialized livestock industry grow."



The $91-million Agri-Food Innovation Fund receives two-thirds of its funds from

the federal government and one-third from the province. The fund was created

in 1995 to promote and support emerging primary production and value-added

processing activities in Saskatchewan.



Agribition president Bill Aulie, who operates a grain and Clydesdale farm near

Rouleau said the AFIF support reflects the increased importance of specialized

livestock sales to Agribition. Bison and elk accounted for almost one-third of

Agribition's total sales in 1998.



Last year, 50 lots of elk were sold for $377,000, up from $196,000 in 1995.

The sale of 138 bison hit a record $1.09 million, up from $137,950 generated in

1993. Total 1998 livestock sales at Agribition were $3.5 million, of which

$1.46 million came from the two specialized livestock breeds.



"These additional facilities will create an agricultural showplace second to

none in Western Canada and make us competitive with facilities in cities such

as Denver," Wayne Gamble, executive vice-president of Agribition said. "The

Canadian Bison Association is trying to firmly establish its national show at

Agribition as the world's premier bison show. The AFIF money will help us

improve facilities to reach that goal."



The Stockman's Arena was constructed by enclosing the area between the

Commercial Cattle Barn and the adjacent Regina Exhibition Stadium, creating a

link between four key existing barns and developing a new showpiece entrance to

Agribition from Pasqua Street.



Along with the AFIF funding, Agribition received $340,000 from the Regina

Exhibition Association for the construction of new seating in Exhibition

Stadium and for renovations to the west side mezzanine in the Stadium to house

the Agribition International Business Centre.



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For more information, contact:



Wayne Gamble Larry Lenton

Executive Vice-president Federal Co-Leader

Canadian Western Agribition Agri-Food Innovation Fund

(306) 565-0565 (306) 780-5153



John Babcock

Provincial Co-Leader

Agri-Food Innovation Fund

(306) 787-9786