Virtual new crop missions
Normally in December and January Cereals Canada, it’s technical division Cigi, and the Canadian Grain Commission are in the middle of travelling for our annual new crop missions. During normal times, the new crop missions visit about twenty of our leading customers around the world to talk about the quality of the recently harvested wheat crop and to support them in their decision to buy Canadian wheat. But these are not normal times. We of course cannot travel to visit our customers because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. What to do? How do we provide support to our customers in 2020?
We have been presenting virtual seminars to customers in five key regions of the world: Asia, Latin America, Europe, Mid-East and North Africa, and to our key customers in the U.S. and Canada. We have presented Canadian quality, our sustainable production practices, and our ability to provide consistent supply, even in the face of the pandemic. In addition to these seminars, we have been providing individual customers with the opportunity to dive deeply into key areas that are of interest to them and speak directly to experts from the Canadian value chain. To view the events that have already taken place you can go and view the videos on canadiancereals.ca.
The 2020 crop enforces the Canadian brand of clean, consistent quality. This year we really do have a good story to tell. That good story, is your story. Looking back to harvest 2019, it really was the “harvest from hell”. This year we get to tell your customers that the 2020 crop is much better, over 80 per cent of all wheat is in the top two grades. Strong milling quality is generating the best of breads and high-quality pasta. To get the full story on the 2020 wheat crop this year you can go to: canadiancereals.ca/2020-wheat-crop.
Our digital pivot also provides us with the opportunity to engage more directly with Canadian farmers. You will have the opportunity to hear directly from the value chain about the changing demands of consumers around the world in the new year, with a farmer event set for spring 2021. You will have the opportunity to see directly how the decisions you make on your farm impact global markets. The Canadian Cereals hub that we have created will be a place for you as growers to come and see what we are doing for you as a cereals industry.