GOVERNMENT OF CANADA INVESTS NEARLY $1.3 MILLION IN CANADIAN ORGANIC INDUSTRY

TRURO, Nova Scotia, December 3, 2007 – Canada’s organic agriculture industry is getting a boost with nearly $1.3 million to help accelerate its growth in Canada, announced Gerald Keddy, Member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret's and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board.

“Organic food is an amazing growth market,” said Mr. Keddy. “Our financial support of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada and the Organic Federation of Canada, demonstrates our Government’s commitment to support research, production and partnerships that help our farmers develop organic food market opportunities.”

The funding, under the national Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Food (ACAAF) program, includes $711,500 to help the industry’s major research arm at the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada in Truro, Nova Scotia, to better identify research needs and to more effectively communicate research results back to the sector.

An additional $565,900 will be used to develop a national sector organization, the Organic Federation of Canada, to bring together all players in the industry and raise awareness of the sector and to help with regulatory development.

“We’re thrilled with these announcements,” said Dr. Andrew Hammermeister, Manager of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, a division of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. “The organic sector has entered a time of unprecedented consumer interest and cooperation among stakeholders around the world. These funds will help us facilitate research and education for producers and consumers across Canada.”

“The grant from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will help build on existing organic networks right across the country,” said Stephanie Wells, President of the Organic Federation of Canada. “The Federation is very pleased that the funding supports the recent hiring of a national coordinator to ensure strong communication and effective action.”

The ACAAF program is designed to help implement innovative projects that will benefit the production and processing sector, bolster the industry’s capacity to address current and emerging issues and position the agriculture and agri-food industry to seize new market opportunities.

For more information on ACAAF please visit www.agr.gc.ca/acaaf.