Ste. Agathe, Manitoba – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
The Canada and Manitoba governments will invest in new equipment to support the growth of the hemp seed processing industry, Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn, announced today.
Governments will provide nearly $390,000 to Hemp Oil Canada Inc. (HOCI) to purchase and install a new optical sorter and packaging system at its new processing facility in Ste. Agathe. The equipment will modernize the packing line, improve food safety and ensure the company can remain competitive in the international hemp seed market.
Quick Facts
- HOCI is the largest hemp seed wholesaler in North America, with annual sales of more than $25 million. The company employs 30 full-time staff and purchases 10 million pounds of hemp from prairie farmers every year. The new facility which is expected to open in summer 2015 will help create 10 new jobs.
- Government funding represents 50 percent of the cost of the new equipment.
- The Growing Forward 2 - Growing Value program provides financial assistance to existing agri-businesses that need to make changes to adapt to market forces and environmental considerations, to increase their ability to compete in domestic and international markets.
- The federal and provincial governments are investing $176 million in Manitoba under Growing Forward 2, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial policy framework to advance the agriculture industry, helping producers and processors become more innovative and competitive in world markets.
- Minister Kostyshyn noted this investment also supports the Manitoba government’s goal of creating a $5.5 billion food processing industry by 2022.
Source: AAFC