Eleven people from Italy's flour milling industry were in the southwest recently to learn about southwest durum production in another Canadian International Grains Institute Durum Program Tour.

     The group visited the durum breeding program at the SPARC station, a local field growing durum, and a local inland grain terminal.

     CIGI's Head of Baking Technology Tony Tweed says the delegation was pleased with the tour and with the local durum industry.  He says they were amazed at the infrastructure we have in place, as well as the effort and expense that goes into our grain industry.

     Tweed says these tours reassure them that key durum importers such as Italy can look to Canada for high quality and reliable supply.