Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Manitoba, Friday June 17, 2005 – Saint-Jean-Baptiste Volunteer Fire Department is benefiting from the Farm Credit Canada (FCC) AgriSpirit Fund with a donation of $5,000.

Through the FCC AgriSpirit Fund, the fire department has renovated and expanded their fire hall. After the community of Saint-Jean-Baptiste was provided with a new fire truck, they were required to expand their hall to accommodate the new vehicle.  The renovations included a 20-foot by 26-foot addition to the fire hall, painting of the existing hall and upgrades to the washroom facilities.

“We’re proud to give even more back to rural Canada and to Saint-Jean-Baptiste where our customers live and work,” says Roland Kirouac, FCC’s Steinbach District Manager. “The enthusiasm of Canadians is evident in the projects that are being created in our rural communities. It’s that spirit and passion that makes Saint-Jean-Baptiste a great place to live.”

From the 489 applications received this past winter, FCC selected 38 projects from across Canada.

In November 2004, FCC announced the AgriSpirit Fund. This Fund awarded $400,000 towards capital projects for rural communities with populations under 100,000. These projects will receive between $5,000 to $25,000 to create or enhance facilities in their community. The maximum contribution for each project was $25,000. A significant amount of time and consideration went into each evaluation including how the project would make a difference in the community.

The FCC AgriSpirit Fund will continue for a second year. Details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process will be posted this fall through the FCC website at www.fcc-fac.ca.

Operating out of 100 offices located primarily in rural Canada, FCC employees are passionate about the business of agriculture. FCC's healthy portfolio of more than $11 billion and 12 consecutive years of portfolio growth are a reflection of our customers' success.

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For more information, please contact:

Roland Kirouac
Farm Credit Canada (Bilingual)
District Manager
(204) 346-6362