Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

The agriculture sector in Lethbridge is supported by the surrounding region, which includes more than 900 farms generating farm receipts of $1.1 Billion per year, building on assets of $3.2 Billion. Primary crops in this region include canola, corn, potatoes, sugar beets and pulses in addition to significant livestock and dairy production. There are more than 120 established agri-food processing businesses in the Lethbridge region producing food and/or feed for local consumption and export. In the past 10 years this sector has seen significant investment and plans for future investment. In fact, the agriculture sector is the largest single sector of the Lethbrige economy representing 20% of total gross domestic product or GDP. Lethbridge has a long history of being an agricultural production, distribution and service centre. Lethbridge Research Centre (established in 1906) is the largest within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's national network of 19 centres and leads Canada's research in the development of