by BETTER FARMING STAFF
Three new federal programs that will come into effect in April 2013 were announced Friday by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. They include something called AgriInnovation that, according to the announcement’s news release, will provide investment to “expand the sector’s capacity to develop and commercialize new products and technologies.”
The programs, as outlined in the news release, are part of the $3 billion Growing Forward 2 policy framework agreed between federal, provincial and territorial ministers in September.
The second program announced is AgriMarketing to help industry “improve its capacity to adopt assurance systems,” such as food and safety traceability. It will also support branding and promotional activities to maintain and “seize” new markets for their products.
The third program – AgriCompetitiveness – will target investments “to help strengthen the agriculture and agri-food industry’s capacity to adapt and be profitable in domestic and global markets.”
AgriInnovation will start accepting applications immediately while the other two programs will accept applications in the new year.
Growing Forward 2 is a five-year policy framework to replace the original Growing Forward program, which expires April 1, 2013. BF
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