Winnipeg, Manitoba
March 29,  2001

United Grain Growers today announced the donation of up to $50,000 worth of canola seed to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank's 2001 Growing Project program across the Prairies. This is the third consecutive year that UGG has offered free seed for 20 local Growing Projects of up to 160 acres in size. 

Canadian Foodgrains Bank Growing Projects are community based efforts where local volunteers, including farmers, small businesses and church congregations often work together to produce and harvest a crop for those in the developing world who are hungry. The harvested production or cash from the sale of the crop is donated to Canadian Foodgrains Bank who uses the food in
its overseas programming. Many of those who receive the food are farmers themselves, who have suffered great losses due to natural disasters or who have been driven off their land as a result of civil conflict. 

"Working with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank is quite simply one of the most effective ways to support international relief projects and our local communities in which we do business," said Russ Jeffrey, Marketing Manager for UGG. 

"Growing projects are widely supported in the roughly 150 communities in which UGG does business and many UGG customers are directly involved. So for us, the Foodgrains Bank is a good connection. It also has a very solid reputation for ensuring the food gets to those in need and actually makes a difference in their lives. That's important when it comes to offering donations," said Jeffrey. 

Seventy-four growing projects, covering close to 10,000 acres were grown across Western Canada in 2000. In virtually all of these projects, the support of agricultural businesses significantly reduced the cost of inputs, thus allowing for increased donations of both grain and cash to Canadian Foodgrains Bank. 

"So often when we hear the word, donation, we think cash contributions are the only option for giving," said Henry Klassen, Manitoba/Saskatchewan Project Coordinator with Canadian Foodgrains Bank. "The value of UGG's seed contribution is very significant; for example: 20 quarters of canola with an average yield will raise enough resources to feed 140,000 people for one month. That is a lot of people !" 

UGG says local Growing Project volunteers can obtain seed by contacting their local UGG representative. Grain companies like UGG also routinely provide the services needed to collect and administer payment for the grain and have occasionally made smaller donations of products and services to Growing Projects. Individual grain donations to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank can be made any day of the year at any UGG grain elevator. 

UGG is one of western Canada's largest agribusiness firms. Founded in 1906, the Winnipeg based Company is diversified into grain merchandising, crop input sales and distribution, livestock production services and farm business communications. UGG is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, under the symbol "UGG". Proven Seed is the leading seed brand in western
Canada and is a business unit of UGG. 

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank, working through 13 church-based agencies, is a Christian-based food aid and development organization that collects donations of grain, cash and other agricultural commodities for distribution to the world's hungry. Grain and cash donations are matched on a 4:1 ratio by the Canadian International Development Agency to a maximum of $16 million annually. 

Company news release
N3424