Targeted funding from Canada and B.C. supported business development, innovation, food safety and sustainability under the Growing Forward Agreement in the third quarter of 2011-12.

Growing Forward is a five-year framework that co-ordinates federal, provincial and territorial agriculture policy.

Between Oct. 1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2011, the following funding was released under Growing Forward:

Organization Amount Program ARDCorp $208,600 Agri-environmental assessments - Environmental Farm Planning Program

ARDCorp $763,800 On-farm sustainable agriculture practices - Beneficial Management Practices Program

ARDCorp $212,100 Enterprise Infrastructure Traceability Program

ARDCorp $30,000 Advanced bio-based opportunities - Cow Power Program and 2012 Agri-Energy Forum

ARDCorp $250,971 Knowledge Mobilization Web Platform Project

B.C. Broiler Hatching Egg Commission $6,160 Food safety systems implementation and outreach - collection of environmental samples from poultry barns for Salmonella testing

B.C. Broiler Hatching Egg Commission $2,500 Food safety systems implementation and outreach - Salmonella Enteritidis - Year 3

B.C. Greenhouse Growers' Association $16,000 Development of biosecurity guidelines for post-harvest greenhouse tomatoes - Biosecurity Implementation Program

B.C. Honey Producers Association $3,500 Business Development - B.C. Honey Producers Association 2011 Conference

B.C. Landscape & Nursery Association $900 Business Development - farm business management speaker

B.C. Potato & Vegetable Growers Association $5,625 Pemberton seed potato area for B.C. potato growers - Biosecurity Implementation Program

B.C. Sustainable Poultry Farming Group $14,963 Strategic environmental risk assessment - Electrostatic Space Charge System Scale-up Project

British Columbia Cattlemen's Association $21,000 Strategic environmental risk assessment - demonstration project - phase 2

British Columbia Fruit Growers' Association $25,500 Invasive species in stone fruit and grapes in B.C. - Biosecurity Implementation Program

Food Innovation Centre of B.C. $87,500 Innovation Commercialization Centre - initiation of operations

Mainland Young Milk Producers Association $3,500 Business Development - farm business management speaker

Small Scale Food Processor Association $289,474 Food Safety Systems Implementation Processor Program

University of British Columbia $15,000 Food safety systems implementation and outreach - farm good agricultural practices risk assessment

TOTAL $1,957,093

These funds are part of the $78 million being invested in a number of non-Business Risk Management programs designed to help farmers and other participants in the agricultural and agri-food industry increase their competitiveness and profitability.

The Growing Forward agreement also includes up to $475 million in B.C. to help provide income stability and insurance against losses through Business Risk Management programs.

For more information on Growing Forward programs, visit: http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/apf/GF_Programs.html

Media Contact:

Kathryn Hardy
Ministry of Agriculture
250 387-1693