Feds Invest $1.25M into Self-Sufficiency Food Growing Facilities

The federal government’s investment into new technology is an investment into the future of Canadian agriculture

Elvis Loveless, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, yesterday announced a $1.25-million investment to help establish vegetable cold storage and packing facilities in Robinsons and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Spruce Meadow Farms, near Happy Valley-Goose Bay, will receive $250,000 in provincial funding under the vegetable cold storage development program, and $242,975 under the federal-provincial Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to construct a regional cold storage and packaging facility for Labrador. 

“Vegetable cold storage is a real need in our province’s agriculture sector. These projects will enable farmers to extend their marketing periods and meet wholesaler requirements by providing the vital infrastructure they need to increase production and improve vegetable quality. With access to safe, healthy food on everyone’s minds, addressing real needs in farming through innovative, practical initiatives has never been more important.” – Honorable Elvis Loveless, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

Southwestern Newfoundland Farmers Group Ltd, a cooperative of seven farmers from the Southwest Coast region of the island portion of the province, will receive $750,000 in provincial funding under the Regional Vegetable Cold Storage Development Program to help establish a new vegetable storage and secondary processing facility in Robinsons.

Access to adequate, certified cold storage facilities is vital for farmers to extend their marketing periods, meet wholesaler requirements for consistent quality and supply, and increase opportunities for secondary processing. Establishing cooperative cold storage facilities in these regions is intended to give producers the infrastructure they need to increase production and improve vegetable quality and food self-sufficiency in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This initiative advances the Provincial Government’s plans to develop a stronger economic foundation and increase food self-sufficiency to 20 per cent by 2022. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a federal-provincial-territorial initiative providing $37 million over five years to the Newfoundland and Labrador agriculture and agri-food industry.

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