Over $50,000 to Help Nipissing Farmers
September 16, 2020NORTH BAY – Today, MPP for Nipissing, Vic Fedeli, is pleased to share that our government is helping farmers improve their business operations and bring more safe, high-quality foods to various markets.
Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has committed more than $7.9 million in cost-share funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to eligible farmers and other agri-food businesses.
Included among the more than 670 projects are 5 projects in Nipissing. These local projects will see investments of up to $50,727.50.
“This new partnership will go a long way in helping our local agricultural sector recover from the impacts of COVID-19,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing. “These investments will provide an opportunity for Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations to innovate and grow.”
“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.
For more information, contact:
Keri Buttle
Constituency Office
keri.buttle@pc.ola.org
(705) 474-8340