I don’t generally use a hard hat when on official M.P. business, but I did the other day, when I accepted an invitation to tour an exciting industry in our riding.

Established in 1996, Milligan Bio-Tech in Foam Lake has gained recognition at home and overseas. All levels of government and industry have recognized the business for its leadership in the field of bio-diesel.

Making wise decisions about the technology that keeps our world humming is crucial to Canada’s economic and environmental future. The federal government’s keen interest in increasing clean technology across Canada spawned the organization, Sustainable Developmental Technology Canada (SDTC).

SDTC funds development and demonstration projects, with the goal of taking innovation from the lab to the market. Their portfolio contains projects in every province in Canada. Milligan Bio-Tech is one of them.

After I donned my hard hat, I spent an enjoyable morning observing the workings of the plant and learning about innovative clean technology from Milligan’s executive manager. The plant produces high quality biodiesel and several other environmentally and farmer-friendly co-products, including livestock supplements of canola meal and oil, road dust suppressant, and diesel fuel conditioner. The company uses canola to manufacture its products, but rather than using the food-grade grain, they employ crops that are damaged and non-food grade.

Innovative clean technology is not only crucial for our Canadian economy—it impacts the community. Milligan Bio-Tech, for instance, purchases the canola they use from producers in the Yorkton-Melville riding, along with others across Western Canada. They also hire staff who live in the local area. Along with the manager, our tour team included chemists, researchers and machinery operators. All of them live in the Foam Lake area.

By providing new markets for farmers, creating clean burning renewable fuels and environmentally friendly co-products, Milligan is an example of the real steps our government is taking to support Canadian entrepreneurs and create sustainable jobs in needy rural communities.

To learn about the other industries in the SDTC portfolio, visit sdtc.ca. 

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The audio version of Garry's February 6, 2012 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here