MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

I am pleased to present members with Pulse Canada’s 2023-24 Annual Report. As we take stock of the past year, there were some significant opportunities and challenges that faced our industry. As you’ll see, through the collective efforts of our members, partners, and staff, Pulse Canada was able to deliver results across numerous priority areas to work toward our mission of creating a more profitable and sustainable Canadian pulse industry through innovation, efficiencies, and increased value.

This past year, Pulse Canada continued to work on behalf of our members to advance interests across the areas of crop protection, transportation, and market access. India remained an important and ever-changing file for our industry in 2023-24, with advancements made toward strengthening the trade ties between our two countries. While in September, governments paused talks on an Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Pulse Canada kept in consistent communication with our counterparts in India to ensure relationships stayed strong regardless of political decisions.

Pulse Canada has been actively engaged in research and innovation, fostering advancements that enable our industry to thrive. In 2023-24, we were successful in leveraging member investments to receive $4.5 million from the federal government’s AgriMarketing Program over the next three years. Not only will these funds allow us to better address market access, crop protection and transportation issues, they will help drive work to find new uses of pulses and pulse ingredients in high-value markets around the world. Pulse Canada continues to launch digital marketing campaigns aimed at increasing the knowledge around and use of pulse ingredients here in North America and in key international markets. In addition, 2023-24 saw Pulse Canada take on the administration of the Pulse Science Cluster. In February 2024, Pulse Canada received over $11 million from the AgriScience Program for research projects across Canada that will help address challenges in production. When completed, these projects will result in reduced nitrogen fertilizer consumption across crop rotations, lower greenhouse gas emissions, increased carbon sequestration, lower disease risks and increased profits for farmers.

As you will read throughout this report, by investing in cutting-edge technologies and encouraging knowledge sharing, we continue to drive innovation across the entire pulse value chain.

Looking ahead, we are poised to face new challenges and opportunities. As the world grapples with issues like the rising cost of living, protectionist trade policies, and food insecurity, the demand for quality Canadian pulse crops remains strong. Together, we will navigate these complexities, leveraging our collective strength and ingenuity to shape a better and brighter future for Canada’s pulse industry.

I invite you to engage with our 2023-24 annual report and see for yourself the work being done to strengthen our industry. There remains tremendous opportunity ahead for growers, ingredient manufacturers and exporters of Canadian pulses. Pulse Canada is proud to serve as your national representative, working to create the conditions necessary for us to collectively seize that opportunity.

OUR BOARD

Kevin Auch, Chair
Alberta Pulse Growers

Adam Ireland, Treasurer
Ontario Bean Growers

Shaun Dyrland
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Shane Strydhorst
Alberta Pulse Growers

Ben Martens
Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers

Stuart Lawrence
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

John Brown
Canadian Pulse And Special Crops Trade Association

John Preun
Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers
(Special Observer)

Greg Stamp
Alberta Pulse Growers

Quinton Stewart
Canadian Pulse And Special Crops
Trade Association (Special Observer)

Terry Youzwa, Vice Chair
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

OUR STAFF

Robyn Henry
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

LEADERSHIP

Greg Cherewyk
President

FINANCE & OPERATIONS

Brian Gilchrist, CPA, CMA
Vice President, Finance & Operations

Denise Hawryluk
Director, Executive Operations & Event Planning

Meagan Desautels
Director, Financial Reporting

Taylor Kardynal
Accounting Administrator

CORPORATE AFFAIRS

Greg Northey
Vice President, Corporate Affairs

Greg Bartley
Director, Crop Protection & Crop Quality

Janelle Whitley, MBA
Director, Market Access & Trade Policy

MARKET INNOVATION

Julianne Curran, PhD
Vice President, Market Innovation

Tanya Der, MSc
Director, Diversification & Market Insights

Denis Tremorin, MSc, PAg
Director, Sustainability

Janelle Carlin, MSc
Director, Quality & Processing

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Mary Price
Senior Director, Marketing

Jeff English
Vice President, Marketing & Communications

Delta Hirsch
Manager, Marketing & Content

Alex Yuzwa
Coordinator, Marketing & Content

Next: Outreach

SCIENCE 
CLUSTER

Heather Carriere
Director, Program Management

In December, for the first time in 6 years, India temporarily removed restrictions on Canadian peas, allowing Canada to meet the significant market demand and helping to raise bids for Canadian pea growers. While the present extension is valid through to fall of 2024, we continue to seek greater predictability in India’s policy decisions to ensure that Canada can be there to help India meet its food security needs well into the future. Significant work was also undertaken to grow and diversify our trading relationship with China, ensuring that the demand for quality Canadian peas is strong in the markets that matter most.

Kevin Auch

Chair, Pulse Canada