There were only 20 members of the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association just a few years ago when Petracek became involved. The people involved didn't want to expand the industry. I decided that it had to expand if it was going to become a strong industry. Now, three years after Petracek became president of the Saskatchewan organiz-ation, there are almost 300 members. Herbs and spices are a small part of most members' farming operations, but have become major operations for some producers, like Petracek.
Most people start out small, but as they see the potential, they expand.
The association has put together a growers' manual that covers several crops, making it much easier for people to get into the spice business than it was when Petracek started. Marketing the crops has also become easier, as independent dealers have set up shop to market the Manitoba and Saskatchewan crops. The organization has aggressively promoted the Saskatchewan industry, and as a result, Saskatchewan has become a leader in herbs and spices in Canada. Petracek estimates the industry in Saskatchewan is five years ahead of that in neighboring provinces. Everyone else is trying to catch up.