The Rural Voice, 1998-05, Page 48George Morris (left), Kent County cattleman and businessman, provided the initial funding for the George Morris Centre.
Dr. Larry Martin, (right) has become its Director of Economic Research and 'chief spokesperson.
Competitively speaking
The George Morris Centre has become the 'independent' voice
of Canada's agri-food industry but its position on competitiveness
often leaves it at odds with parts of the farming industry.
By Anya Wassenberg
Guelph's George Moms Centre
is well known in the agri-food
business, but only came to the
attention of the general public
recently, in some reports of the
labour disputes at Maple Leaf Meats.
A study completed by the Centre
formed the cornerstone of Maple
Leaf Meats' position on
competitiveness — a position
underlying the labour contracts that
led to bitter strikes at three of its
plants.
The George Morris Centre, named
after its benefactor, a Kent County
farmer and businessman, was
founded in 1990, and Morris himself
still sits on the Board of Directors.
Billed as "Canada's independent
44 THE RURAL VOICE
Agri -Food Think -Tank", the non-
profit Centre's funding comes from
private donations, individual and
corporate memberships, and a user -
pay system of research, reports and
educational services.
Associate Director of Research
Dr. Vincent Amanor-Boadu puts the
Centre's raison d'etre simply: "The
Centre is set up primarily to ensure
that Canadian agriculture remains
competitive," he states. It's a goal he
sees as having two components. ".. .
to supply the foods that Canadians
require, and then to supply the
world."
To help all the players in the
industry — from producer to
processor to retailer — hone their
competitive skills, the Centre runs a
well -attended educational program of
workshops and executive
development courses. Beginner and
advanced level workshops are
offered in commodity futures trading
as a means of managing price risks.
Strategic alliances and quality
management are featured in other
courses, among other industry related
topics. Attendees have included
organizations like Shur -Gain,
Campbell Soup Company, Thiessen
Farms Ltd. and Molesworth Farm
Supply, as well as government
agencies like Alberta Agriculture,
Food and Rural Development.
There is an extensive publishing
program of research and market
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