Feds dole out $89 million to supply-managed processors

INGLESIDE — Food processors in the supply-managed dairy, egg and poultry sectors will share up to $89 million in federal tax dollars for facility and equipment upgrades. The money has been earmarked for 49 individual projects across Canada — with 22 Ontario sites getting a combined $41.3 million through the Supply Management Processing Investment Fund.

“With this funding, dairy, poultry and egg processors will be able to modernize their operations so they can continue providing Canadian families with high-quality products while supporting small, rural communities across the country,” Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay said Feb. 5.  The fund includes  giving taxpayer money to some very large profitable companies for new automated processing and packaging equipment at their plants. The recipients include: 

• $5 million to 2763605 Ontario Limited and Amir Quality Meats Inc. of Arthur (poultry)
• $5 million to Erie Meat Products Limited of Mississauga (poultry)
• $5 million to Quality Cheese of Orangeville. (dairy)
• $5 million to Nestle Canada’s, London (dairy – ice cream). Swiss Nestle is the largest food company in the world.
• $3.34 million to French-owned multinational Lactalis Ingleside cheese plant
• $2.85 million to Burnbrae Farms Limited of Mississauga (eggs)
• $2.68 million to Mariposa Dairy, of Lindsay (dairy)
• $1.89 million to TNT Foods International Inc. of Brampton (poultry)
• $1.76 million to Modhani Inc. of Tillsonburg (dairy – cheese)
• $1.39 million to Sierra Custom Foods Inc. of Brampton (poultry)
• $1.37 million to D&D Poultry of Scarborough (poultry)
• $1.26 million to Uniqpol Incorporated of Brantford (poultry)
• $1.25 million to Arla Foods Inc. of Vaughan (dairy – cheese)
• $880,700 to Pine Hedge Farms Inc. of  St-Eugene (on-farm dairy processor)
• $845,600 to Sheldon Creek Dairy of Loretto (on-farm dairy processor)
• $492,500 to Dairy Fountain Inc. of Mississauga (dairy)
• $366,300 to McKinley Hatchery, St. Mary’s (poultry)
• $269,500 to Pixtar Canada of Mississauga (poultry)
• $197,000 to Shelmac Brand Products Inc of North York (eggs)
• $189,000 to Galati Cheese Company of Windsor (dairy)
• $174,300 to ENS Poultry Inc. of Elora (on-farm poultry processor)
• $70,900 to Mountain Oak Cheese Limited of New Hamburg (on-farm dairy processor)