OPTIONAL OFF-SITE TOURS
Two diverse and experiential optional, concurrent, off-site tours have been planned to better explore the pulse industry in Saskatchewan. All tours depart from the Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, November 18 and include round-trip transportation, returning to the hotel by 4:00 PM at the latest. All tours have a maximum capacity, so secure your spot early to not miss out. Both tours occur at the same time, so you may only choose one tour to take part in. Optional tours have an add-on cost of $50 per person.
Tour #1: Explore the Real-World Outcomes of Pulse Processing & Ingredient Research at the Food Centre
The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc (Food Centre) is a non-profit organization and leader in providing expertise and resources to assist agri-business to create innovation products and value-added opportunities in the food industry. This tour will explore two of the Food Centre’s facilities: First the 63,000 square foot Agri-Food Innovation Centre including incubation suites, product development and processing innovation suite, wet and dry extrusion R&D and processing suite, ingredient innovation, food testing, and food crop quality testing lab. Secondly this tour will explore the brand new Advanced Food Ingredients Centre housing the Fermentation and Bioengineering Program focused on downstream processing. From snack foods, breakfast cereals, pet foods, meat analogues, and bio-products, they all come to life at the Food Centre. Join us to learn more about the endless possibilities and innovation possible at the Food Centre.
Tour #2: Breeding Acceleration, Biomanufacturing & Technical Capabilities at the Global Institute for Food Security
Explore how the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at Usask accelerates agricultural innovation through advanced genomics, high‑throughput phenotyping, and cutting‑edge biomanufacturing. This one‑hour tour provides a focused, behind‑the‑scenes look at the technologies and expertise that support researchers, breeders, and industry partners across the ag‑innovation pipeline.
The tour begins in the FCC Breeding Acceleration Program, where participants will step inside the high‑throughput genotyping laboratory to see how rapid DNA extraction, sequencing, and secure analytics help breeders make informed, auditable, and anonymous decisions. Guests will learn how GIFS integrates genomics, automation, and advanced computational tools to shorten breeding cycles and support trait‑development programs. The tour then highlights GIFS’ Biomanufacturing Program, where visitors will see facilities supporting engineering biology, machine learning–guided design, and precision fermentation. Participants will learn how microbial strains, enzymes, and bio‑based agricultural inputs are developed, optimized, and scaled through controlled fermentation and analytical workflows.
The Aphanomyces Root Rot Phenotyping Program is a key feature where attendees will observe how greenhouse evaluations, digital imaging, and developing machine‑learning models generate consistent, objective disease ratings that support resistance‑breeding efforts.
