Federal government kick in $2 million to help local businesses

Canada’s Economic Action Plan has provided real results for Canada’s food producers and helped them deliver the highest quality food to consumers at home and abroad.

Langley MP Mark Warawa, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, congratulated three local processing companies today on improving their business with the combined support of more than $2 million from the federal government. These investments helped the companies improve their processing lines, providing farmers with more opportunities to get their products to market.

“The Government of Canada is continuously working to provide farmers as well as the entire value-chain with new and innovative technologies that increase productivity and boost their bottom line,” Warawa said. “This funding enhances the sector’s competitiveness, helps companies increase production, creates new jobs for local communities, and creates more demand for high quality Canadian agricultural products.”

Recently, the AgriProcessing Initiative provided support to Freybe Gourmet Foods, Made-Rite Meat Products, and Sugarplum Desserts.

Freybe Gourmet Foods received a $1,900,000 repayable contribution to purchase and install new high pressure food processing equipment. Made-Rite Meat Products received a $376,770 repayable contribution to purchase and install a new machine to automate the packaging of beef jerky. Sugarplum Desserts received a $94,500 repayable contribution to purchase and install a specialized ingredient mixer for various flavoured cake icings/frostings and butter-creams.

Freybe Gourmet Foods specializes in the production of sausages, ham and speciality deli meats.

Made-Rite Meat Products is in the business of processing, packaging and selling beef jerky.

Sugarplum Desserts bakes cheesecakes, layered cakes and cookies.

These repayable contributions are delivered by the Agricultural Flexibility Fund through the AgriProcessing Initiative, a five-year, up to $50-million initiative designed to enhance the competitiveness of the food processing sector in Canada. It provides support to existing companies for projects that involve the adoption of innovative and new-to-company manufacturing technologies and processes that are essential to sustaining and improving the sector’s position in today’s global marketplace. For more information, visitwww.agr.gc.ca/api.

The Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan continues to help farmers with its focus on strengthening the economy and creating jobs. Investments in viable market opportunities will help build an even stronger agriculture industry and Canadian economy. For more information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Langley Times