Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz has promised $11.6 million in research funding to help advance Canada’s horticulture and organic sectors.On Sept. 1 in Nova Scotia, he said the government will commit $6.5 million to fund a research project that will bring together industry, research and government officials to identify areas where the organic sector could benefit from focused research spending.”The research will focus on soil fertility, grain cropping, greenhouse production and food processing,” Agriculture Canada said in the announcement. “This cluster will also help develop a recognizable high-quality brand to help establish Canada as a leader in organic production and help farmers expand their businesses.”The fund will be managed by the Organic Federation of Canada, which praised the announcement as a major event in developing the sector.Ritz also announced $5.1 million in funding for two horticulture sector research projects – $3.6 million for research into opportunities for edible horticultural products and $1.5 million for the ornamental sector.Ritz said it is an important and growing part of Canadian agriculture worth almost $6 billion in sales last year.Andy Vermeulen, president of the Canadian Horticultural Council, said the money will help the sector grow and find new opportunities. “The results of our cluster initiatives will have a real impact for those who grow, pack and ship these crops.”
Feds promise $11.6 million for research in horticulture, organics
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