Art Froehlich
Chair, Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta

Art Froehlich wants Alberta to put its brand on the agricultural world the way some other countries have. To most people "French" is synonymous with wine, "Swiss" with cheese, "New Zealand" with lamb. And Alberta? Well, we had beef, but at the moment, that's a tarnished rep. Froehlich is one of Alberta's most ardent advocates pushing for the province to spearhead R&D and increase value-added processing capabilities in the near future. One day he envisions phrases such as "Alberta canola" being nearly as ubiquitous with global consumers as the French wine tag. To those who know him, it's no surprise Froehlich, elected chair of the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta in July 2003, thinks in terms of brands. He is an ad man, a senior partner in AdFarm, one of the largest ag-specialty advertising and communications agencies in North America. Froehlich's international agribusiness experience - which has included plant protection, grain handling, grain processing and food - informs the council's strategies. When he's not promoting Alberta's agriculture industry, or visiting international farms, Froehlich, 51, a former director of sales and marketing for Hoechst Canada, occasionally manages to get back to the Yorkton, Saskatchewan, farm where he was raised to pitch in with the Angus operation he and his brothers operate. - AD

The future of farming is uncertain now, more than ever. What opportunities or initiatives exist in Alberta to make agriculture sustainable and profitable for years to come?
Agriculture in Alberta is struggling right now, and it's struggled over its history. But we have the base in Alberta of having as good as or perhaps better farmers than anywhere in the world. They are efficient, progressive and adopt technology quickly. We need to build on that base by developing a strong research and development initiative for agriculture and food.

Who do you think is the greatest Albertan ever?
Grant MacEwan. He was in the same industry I am - agriculture. He was a teacher, writer, historian. He just exemplifies everything great that agriculture was and is today. He was a wonderful personality. He just seems to me the consummate citizen of the country or province.

In 100 years, will you warrant your own chapter in the history books, a footnote to great events or a single Google hit?
When I look at the young people out there now, how smart and bright they are, I would be very fortunate if in 100 years from now I would get a Google hit. Greater things are still due to come in this province.