The Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence recognizes and celebrates the agri-food producers, processors, organizations and rural communities, who through their innovative ideas and projects are helping strengthen our communities, support a sustainable environment, create jobs and boost our economy.
As Ontario's Asian population grows, so does demand for silkies. And Lakeside Game Farm is happy to supply these black-skinned, dark-fleshed chickens, named for their distinctively poofy plumage. Jim Ebert started out producing 100 chickens a week. Now he's up to 8,000, and he is working with three more producers to supplement his own production. Customers can't get enough of the birds, which Ebert supplies the traditional way: fresh, rather than frozen, with the head and feet still on. With no sign of market saturation, Ebert has installed a new incubator to boost the hatch rate of his chicks, and he is building a state-of-the-art growing barn. He's also mentoring novice silkie producers under the Chicken Farmers of Ontario's new specialty breed program - growing a sector with plenty of untapped potential.
Source: CFO