Saskatchewan Pulse Growers director Corey Loessin presents the Pulse Promoter Award to Gordon Bacon at the SPG annual general meeting. (submitted photo/Sask Pulse)

By Alice McFarlane

Saskatchewan Pulse Promoter Award

Tireless promoter recognized by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Jan 17, 2023 | 1:46 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – Gordon Bacon was honoured with the Pulse Promoter Award for his efforts to advance the industry.

Bacon has been a champion of positioning pulses as an affordable, nutritious, and healthy food. He has focused on sustainable cropping systems and reducing the ecological footprint of pulse production.

Bacon served as the CEO for Pulse Canada for 24 years, from 1997 to 2021, and was CEO of Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA), for 16 years.

As part of a national and global pulse leadership group, Bacon worked to have the United Nations (UN) declare 2016 as International Year of Pulses and a UN designation of World Pulses Day each year in February.

Canada’s pulse industry is positioned to be the leader in health, nutrition, and environmental sustainability but that opportunity must be co-created with the food sector,” according to Bacon.

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“The necessity for dietary change in order to feed 10 billion is an important opportunity for pulses. This isn’t just about farmers and the markets we have today, this is about consumption and influencing the social drivers of change,” Bacon said. “We need to be a part of the things that are already shaping the future of food. The opportunities lie within the matrix of being efficient and being transformative.”

Prior to joining Canada’s pulse industry, Bacon was director of market development at the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). He also served as senior policy advisor to a federal cabinet minister in Ottawa, as well as various roles with federal and provincial departments of agriculture.

He has been an active member of the executive of the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) since 2001 and is now the GPC director of Food Systems.

The Pulse Promoter Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of Saskatchewan’s pulse industry in the areas of production, marketing, promotion, research, extension, processing, management, and/or innovation.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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