The two investments total more than $2 million
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced more than $2 million of investments into two sectors of Prairie agriculture on Tuesday.
The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) will receive more than $1.8 million under the AgriMarketing Program, which “aims to increase and diversify exports to international markets and seize domestic opportunities.”
Specifically, CCC will use the funding to promote Canadian canola products in Asia and North America while also working towards its goal of 26 million tonnes of canola production by 2025.
That same year, the Canadian government wants to achieve $75 billion of agri-food exports.
With a significant majority of Canadian canola destined for export markets, having the necessary support to unlock new opportunities is important, said Jim Everson, president of the CCC.
“When you consider that more than 90 per cent of Canadian canola is exported and the increasingly complex global trade environment, this support for market access and development is critical to building canola’s value and growth potential for the future,” he said in a statement.
Another Western Canadian ag organization is receiving federal support.
The Prairie Organic Development Fund (PODF) will receive up to $297,330 to help farmers adopt best practices in organic production.
The funding will be used to help PODF execute its Canada Organic Ingredient Strategy.
This strategy helps established organic farmers gain more knowledge or share their skills with others interested in organic production.
"This investment will accelerate the adoption of organic best practices among farmers and increase the supply and quality of organic grains, fruits and vegetables, and livestock, fostering the expansion of the Canadian organic food processing sector,” Marla Carlson, PODF Program Manager, said in a statement. “The development of the organic sector creates opportunities for Canadian farmers and processors to meet the increasing demand for organic food domestically and internationally."