News release
$1.77 MIILION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO BOOST DEVELOPMENT OF THE CANADIAN DAIRY INDUSTRY
Quebec, September 9, 2005 The Quebec dairy industry aims to break new ground with innovative projects thanks to $1.77 million dollars in federal funding announced today in Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, by Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Andy Mitchell as well as provincial MNA for Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue and Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Daniel Bernard.
Novalait Inc., a corporation owned by Quebec dairy producers and processors, will receive the funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to carry out two innovative projects that will benefit the entire Canadian dairy industry.
"The Canadian dairy industry is one of the mainstays of Canada's agri-food economy," said Minister Mitchell. "I am confident that this investment by the Government of Canada will help the Canadian dairy industry identify new opportunities for growth."
"I am pleased with these projects that will contribute to the long-term development of the Quebec dairy industry, which is the biggest in Canada, as much for the production of milk as for processing," stated Mr. Bernard. The path of innovation will allow this industry to open itself up to the markets of tomorrow. These projects will complement the research and development activities that Quebec supports in partnership with the dairy industry in general and with Novolait in particular."
Of the $1.77 million in funding, $1.4 million is for Novalait Inc.'s Premium Milk Innovation project. This project will look at new ways of using milk components and by-products and will assess potential new market niches. This project will help the dairy industry better meet consumer needs leading to increased milk consumption. The funding is being provided under AAFC's Agri-Innovation program.
"It is well known that technology and innovation are the drivers of productivity, growth, and prosperity," said Mr. Gilbert Rioux, President of Novalait Inc. "With the Premium Milk Innovation project, the Canadian dairy sector will be better able to identify the technological and innovation needs in the value chain for milk components and respond to market demands in the future."
Novalait Inc. will also receive $372,177 from the Conseil pour le développement de l'agriculture du Québec (CDAQ) and five other industry councils across Canada that receive funding under the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program. It will enable Novalait Inc. to move forward, over the next three years, with the Demonstration Farm Network. Novalait Inc. established this network in 2002 to promote research on 100 "pilot" farms in Quebec. The funding will be put towards research leading to new best practices, knowledge and technologies in the industry. The project results will be made available to all dairy producers in Canada.
"CDAQ is proud to add its financial contribution to the investment of dairy producers," said Laurent Pellerin, President of the Union des producteurs agricoles and President of CDAQ. "By taking active part in this initiative, the producers demonstrate yet again their capacity to stimulate their constantly-evolving industry. By regularly integrating new practices, knowledge, and technologies, they maintain the high level of quality and productivity that characterizes dairy production in Quebec and that is critical to the development of our agricultural sector."
For more information, please visit the following Web sites:
Novalait Inc.: www.novalait.ca
CDAQ: http://www.cdaq.qc.ca/
AAFC: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml
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For further information, please contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, ON
(613) 759-7972
1-866-345-7972
Matt Tolley
Minister's Office
Ottawa, ON
(613) 759-1059
Backgrounder
FEDERAL FUNDS TO THE CANADIAN DAIRY INDUSTRY
Premium Milk Innovation
The Premium Milk Innovation will receive $1.4 million under AAFC's Agri-Innovation program to allow the dairy industry to create an overall innovation strategy based on new knowledge about milk components. This initiative will have two phases. Phase 1 consists of creating a strategy and action plan for the development of milk components. Phase 2 consists of implementing the strategic action plan.
In addition to fostering cooperation among stakeholders and the mobilization of financial resources and expertise in research and technology transfer, the Novalait Inc. initiative will support product diversification, full use of milk components and co-products, and the assessment of potential opportunities for new market niches (milks, specialized dairy products, bioactive, and techno-functional ingredients, etc.).
Canadian consumers will benefit by having improved knowledge about the nutritional, functional, and health properties of milk and dairy products. The industry will be in a position to offer products that meet consumer demands and allow consumers to benefit from a healthy diet that is adapted to their needs.
Demonstration Farm Network (Réseau de fermes de démonstration)
The Demonstration Farm Network will receive $372,177 from the Conseil pour le développement de l'agriculture du Québec (CDAQ) and five other industry councils which also receive funding under the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program. The project consists of the carrying out of up to nine projects on a hundred Quebec dairy farms participating in the Demonstration Farm Network, set up by Novalait Inc. in 2002 to promote research leading to new best practices, knowledge and technologies in the industry. The project results will be made available to all dairy producers in Canada.
The project parners include:
1. Conseil pour le développement de l'agriculture du Québec (CDAQ) ($275,000) and the industry councils from Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia ($97,177)
2. Dairy Farmers of Canada ($45,000)
3. Quebec Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ($75,000)
Novalait Inc. is a corporation with 50 per cent of its share capital owned by the Fédération des producteurs du lait au Québec (FPLQ) and the other 50 per cent by Quebec's dairy processors. The organization's mandate is to establish and promote the priority research areas for dairy producers and processors. The corporation manages research investments as well as transfer and development activities.
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