The Government of Canada is investing $313,000 to create new opportunities for New Brunswick dairy farmers, including the potential for producing new specialty cheeses in the province.
"Canadian milk is second to none in the world for quality," said Member of Parliament Mike Allen (Tobique-Mactaquac) on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "This investment will help dairy farmers in New Brunswick make improvements on the farm to take full advantage of this premium product in a market looking for new and innovative food."
The Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick (DFNB) will receive up to $235,000 to identify and develop techniques to help New Brunswick dairy farms become more profitable by increasing their efficiency. The DFNB will be holding their annual general meeting in Fredericton on December 1st and 2nd of this year.
"We've created a working group of 13 farmers who are looking at any means possible to make dairy farms more profitable," said Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick Chair Reg Perry. "I think the information they will gather on things like inputs and management techniques will go a long way in helping us lower our costs."
Milk 2020, a not-for-profit company established by New Brunswick dairy farmers and processors to drive research and innovation in the sector, will receive up to $78,000 to identify speciality cheeses that could be produced using New Brunswick's surplus milk.
"What is exciting about this project is the way we've gotten here," said Jim Walker, chairman of Milk 2020. "It's been really uplifting to see how producers, processors and governments can work together on an idea and bring together expertise from different levels to move it forward."
This investment is being delivered through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), $163-million national initiative that aims to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. Eligible CAAP projects could be in areas of traceability, environment, climate change, capacity development, pests and diseases, and more.
"The New Brunswick Agricultural Council is very pleased to be able to support funds towards the dairy in New Brunswick" said Paul Vautour, Chair of the New Brunswick Agricultural Council who administers CAAP in New Brunswick. "Dairy primary producers and processors are responsible for generating more than $300 million in cash receipts every year for our province and these projects will help them stay competitive in today's markets."
For more information on CAAP, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/caap. To learn more about NBAC, please visit www.nbac-canb.com.
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada