The Coles family will develop 71 acres for fruit and vegetable production
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
New growers from Newfoundland and Labrador relied on a new federal program to enter the provincial agricultural community.
Robbie Coles and his family submitted a proposal to lease land through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). Their successful bid will allow them to develop almost 72 acres of land in Reidville, Nfld. for commercial fruit and vegetable production.
The family already has 4,000 strawberry plants ordered. They also plan to develop a u-pick operation and add vegetables in future seasons.
Those goals are part of the farmers’ bigger picture, which includes reducing the province’s need for imported produce.
“We are looking forward to helping provide Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond with access to affordable and nutritious food, and safe food,” he told The Western Star last week. “Doing that will be deeply gratifying.”
The federal government has committed $22.2 million in funding over five years and the Province will provide $14.8 million in funding.
Part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s focus for the funding is to increase its food self-sufficiency, as outlined in the Agriculture Sector Work Plan.
The province is currently only 10 percent food self-sufficient. The work plan sets a goal of increasing that number to 20 per cent by 2022.
“By increasing access to land and securing federal funding to increase our own provincial support for farmers, we are realizing our goals to double our province’s food self-sufficiency, and double the number of people directly employed in agriculture,” Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, said in a May 10 statement.
The province imported $33 billion worth of agri-food products in 2012, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada reported.