THAMESFORD, Ont., May 17, 1997 -- Ralph Goodale, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), today announced a $10-million initiative to advance the environmental sustainability of Canada’s agricultural resource base.

The National Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP) complements AAFC’s recently announced Sustainable Development Strategy -- Agriculture in Harmony with Nature: Strategy for Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture and Agri-Food Development in Canada. This program is based on a partnership with industry, other levels of government and other stakeholders.

Mr. Goodale also announced six other programs as part of the federal government’s overall strategy to support the agriculture and agri-food sector in adapting to changes, as well as to develop the skills and capacity that will be needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

“The agriculture and agri-food sector is responding to changes in international markets, technology and consumer preferences,” the Minister said, adding that “signs indicate this rapid pace of change will continue.”

“Today’s package of initiatives touches many of the most pressing issues facing today’s producers, processors, exporters and rural communities,” said Mr. Goodale. “The initiatives will help the sector to foster environmental sustainability, anticipate and meet research demands, manage food safety issues and build stronger rural communities.”

Funding for the initiatives comes from the $60-million-a-year Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) fund. The CARD Fund was announced in the 1995 Federal Budget and affirmed in the 1996 and 1997 budgets.

The NSWCP funding will be provided to the CARD adaptation councils in all provinces except in the Prairies, where the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) will deliver the funds, and in Newfoundland, where the Newfoundland Federation of Agriculture will deliver the program. Management and delivery arrangements will be finalized in the coming weeks.

Other initiatives announced today include:

• a Rural Partnerships Initiative to support policy development and strategic alliances to foster rural economic development;
• an On-Farm Food Safety Program to complement HACCP training for processors with an on-farm version of HACCP;
• a grant to the Canadian Agricultural New Uses Council to support activities relating to its mission of accelerating development of new agro-industrial products and increasing public awareness and demand for these products through building linkages in the industry and information-sharing;
• an Ontario Research Enhancement Program building on current research initiatives to look at the environmental impacts of crop management production systems and to foster new product development for Ontario produce;
• the continuation of the Red Meat Technology Initiative to continue the development of new technologies aimed at improving the competitive position of Canada’s red meats industry in global markets; and
• a contribution to the National Agricultural Environment Committee, made up of stakeholders from across the agriculture and agri-food industry, to continue its fostering of awareness of and input to the development of policies related to environmental issues in agriculture.

For more information, media may contact:

Vern Greenshields
Press Secretary
Minister Goodale’s Office
Ottawa
(613) 759-1020

ONTARIO RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (OREP)

Backgrounder

The Ontario Research Enhancement Program (OREP) is a $4-million two-year federal research initiative that will be administered by the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), with input from the agriculture and agri-food sector, universities and the province. Research will focus on two areas identified by the sector as priorities — responding to consumer demand for higher quality products; and ensuring crop-production management systems are environmentally sustainable. Biotechnology will be one of the areas explored.

Ontario’s agricultural production is based primarily on growing diversified crops using intensive production practices, but long-term viability is linked to the development of sustainable crop- production management systems.

There are also opportunities to enhance the economic contribution of Ontario's agriculture and agri-food sector by adding value to the diversified primary commodities produced in the province.

The Program is expected to be of particular interest to the corn, soybean, greenhouse, fruit and vegetable sectors and the emphasis will be on projects focusing on food quality improvement and sustainable crop production management such as:

• the development of value-added animal and crop food products and ingredients that meet domestic and export market demands, with a particular emphasis on quality issues such as processing, packaging, shelf life, new product and ingredient development, high-value alternative uses, probiotics and functional foods;
• biotechnologies to reduce environmental pressures related to crop protection practices; and,
• integrated crop protection and production practices for both field and greenhouse crops.

New projects will be initiated and more resources will be provided to current R&D activities. The Program will be based at AAFC's Pest Management Research Centre in London, Ontario. Research will be conducted by the London Centre, and also at two other AAFC centres — the Eastern Cereals and Oilseeds Research Centre in Ottawa and the Greenhouse and Processing Crops Research Centre in Harrow.

An Advisory Committee comprised of federal/provincial/industry/university stakeholders will assess R&D proposals.

This initiative complements the agri-food R&D priorities that have already been identified in consultation with the sector.

Departmental Spokesperson: Dr. Frank Marks (519) 457-1470

OREP HOME

Last Revised: August 19, 1997 09:53:02 AM