Press Release Department: Federal - Agriculture and Agri-Food

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced the appointment of Chantelle Donahue to the Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC). Ms. Donahue’s appointment to the council is for a three-year term effective immediately. More information is available online. Call 613-773-1059. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced the reappointment of Sylvie Cloutier to the Farm Credit Canada board of directors. Cloutier’s … Read more

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) was in Quebec City to help celebrate farming excellence at the 2014 Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program National Awards Gala. The National national event encourages young people to consider agriculture as a career choice, while providing a networking opportunity for established farmers and young/beginning farmers to share ideas and concepts … Read more

Legislation aimed at modernizing Canada’s agriculture industry and expanding markets has passed third reading in the House of Commons. This important stage signals the final phase of the Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18) as it progresses to the Senate. The Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18) will update and modernize existing legislation to respond to the … Read more

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced an investment of $306,500 to the Centre d’expertise en production ovine du Quebec (CEPOQ) to improve the health of sheep flocks. This investment from AAFC’s AgriInnovation Program’s R&D stream will enable the Centre to better control gastrointestinal parasitic infections among sheep by detecting drug resistance. This project is expected to … Read more

On behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.), Heritage and Official Languages Minister Shelly Glover (Saint-Boniface, Man.) announced an investment of $1,950,000 to the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) to support its market development efforts in existing and new growth markets. With this investment, CMBTC aims to maintain and boost Canada’s global competitiveness by being the focal point for … Read more

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) completed a successful trade mission to China where he helped deepen the long-standing ties and bilateral relations that will advance the interests of Canadian agricultural producers, processors and exporters. Ritz joined Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) and a delegation of Canadian Ministers and business leaders to take part … Read more

Conservative MP Peter Kent (Thornhill, Ont.) announced an investment of $990,000 to U-Be-Livin-Smart, an Ontario based health food processing company. This investment is being used for the purchase and installation of food processing equipment for the commercialization of the company’s patented nutrient-dense muffins, vitamins and other related products. This project will help create jobs and increase demand for … Read more

Conservative MP Dean Allison (Niagara West-Glanbrook, Ont.) announced an investment of $410,545 to the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board (OTFPMB) to develop new varieties suited to the province’s soil conditions and climate. This investment from AAFC’s AgriInnovation Program, under Growing Forward 2, will enable OTFPMB to produce new varieties of tender fruits and fresh grapes. These new … Read more

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced an investment of $411,627 in federal funding to Productions en Regie Integree du Sud de Montreal (PRISME) to improve the quality and safety of vegetable produce. This support from the AgriInnovation Program’s Research & Development stream will help PRISME better identify pests and evaluate produce resistance to fungicide to improve the … Read more

On behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.), Conservative MP Harold Albrecht (Kitchener-Conestoga, Ont.) announced an investment of $713,000 to Martin’s Family Fruit Farm to adapt innovative processing equipment for the slicing and dehydration of fresh vegetables into chips. The full release is available online. Call 613-773-1059.