VARENNES, Quebec - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today reiterated this government's commitment to renewable fuels while attending the official opening of a new Greenfield Ethanol plant in Varennes, Quebec.

"Canada's New Government is building a stronger, prosperous and clean Canada that is at the forefront of nations developing a biofuels industry," said Minister Strahl. "We are proud to support state-of-the art facilities such as this one. Increased biofuels production is a win-win for consumers, farmers, local communities like Varennes, and Canadian industry."

Budget 2007 provides an additional $2 billion to support the development of a Canadian renewable fuels industry. As part of its goal to achieve cleaner air for Canadians, Canada's New Government has committed to reaching an average of 5 percent renewable content in gasoline by 2010 and 2 percent renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2012.

"We have 500 Quebec corn farmers investing in the Varennes plant," said Robert Gallant, President of Greenfield Ethanol Inc. "Today's inauguration is a true success story for the renewable fuels industry, for the environment and for farmers."

Since coming to office, the government has announced more than $500 million to assist farmers and rural communities to seize new market opportunities in the agricultural bioproducts sector through biofuels and bioproducts initiatives.

The Varennes plant is GreenField's third plant in operation in Canada. It is a large-scale ethanol facility and will produce 120 million litres of ethanol each year from 12 million bushels of Quebec-grown corn. The Government of Canada is providing $18 million towards the construction of this ethanol plant. Two others are located in Chatham and Tiverton, Ontario, and two more are under construction in Johnstown and Hensall, Ontario, and scheduled to be operating in 2008. With five plants operating, GreenField will be producing more than 700 million litres per year by 2008 making the company one of the top producers in North America.

For more information on Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's ecoAGRICULTURE initiatives please visit: www.agr.gc.ca/ecoagriculture-e.