Farmers and agri-businesses in the region will share in a $530,000 investment from the federal and provincial governments. The funding, announced Friday by MPP Jeff Yurek will fund 32 projects in priority areas across Elgin-Middlesex-London riding.
The projects are designed to increase food safety, accelerate innovation and help farmers bring new products to market.
Yurek noted, “with this support, area farmers will be able to continue this tradition of innovation and resiliency in order to carry the sector forward for new generations.”
Positive outcomes of projects funded under this intake include:
· Improvement of food safety systems on farms to meet or exceed national and international certification standards;
· Development of products that will open new sales markets for farm businesses for example, a new organic pepper product to expand markets or developing maple butter as a new, value-added farm product;
· Planting cover crops to improve soil health and reduce soil erosion losses over winter;
· Increasing preventative measures to help reduce pest damage at greenhouse operations; and
· Upgrades to animal-handling equipment to improve animal welfare and reduce disease transmission on livestock farms.
