FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 10, 2020
SIMCOE – Our government is helping farmers improve their business operations and bring more safe, high-quality foods to various markets.
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett today, along with Minister of Agriculture Ernie Hardeman, announcedmore than $7.9 million in cost-share funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership) to eligible farmers and other agri-food businesses.
Included among the more than 670 projects are 19 projects in Haldimand-Norfolk. These local projects will see investments of more than $200,000.
“Agriculture is a global industry and farmers in Haldimand-Norfolk must compete against the world,” said Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett. “Providing these funds is important to keep our farmers on a competitive footing at a time when a lot of traditional marketing is out of play.”
“Our farmers work tirelessly to supply the array of safe, high-quality agricultural products that feed our province, our country and the world,” said the Honourable Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “By making these strategic investments we are helping to improve the competitiveness of our agri-food sector and secure it for long-term sustainability, especially during these difficult times.”
Through the Partnership, these initiatives will support improvements in areas such as enhanced traceability systems, upgraded animal-handling equipment, and strengthened biosecurity measures.
Examples of projects supported through this programming include:
- Improving food safety systems on farms to meet or exceed international certification standards;
- Planting over-wintering cover crops to improve soil health and reduce soil erosion losses;
- Actions to help prevent pest damage at greenhouse operations;
- Developing a product that will open new sales markets for a farm business; and
- Upgrades to animal-handling equipment and improved biosecurity measures.
The funding is in addition to programming launched this year to assist the sector in meeting challenges related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Such programming includes the launch of a portal to connect farms and other agri-food sector business with labour needs to job seekers; the creation of the Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program; and the recent investment of an additional $50 million into the Risk Management Program for this year, one year earlier than originally promised.
Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed cost-share support to more than 2,500 projects through the Partnership to help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow.
-30-
For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org