Rachel and Chris Buhler will use the $50,000 grand prize from the BioVenture Business Plan Challenge to help launch their new aquaponics enterprise at Osler, Sask.
The brother-sister team beat four other competitors in the first-ever such competition offered by the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Agriculture.
“It would really help us develop our business plan and take us another step forward,” said Chris when accepting the award at the university Sept. 13.
The Buhlers plan to combine tilapia fish farming that targets Asian Canadian markets with strawberry and vegetable production in their Floating Gardens Ltd. business.
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The Buhlers plan to produce about 400 tilapia weekly when in production next spring, adding lettuce as a secondary crop in the future.
Their proposed $500,000 aquaponic system will use fish tank waste water to nourish the greenhouses, in which strawberries are grown without soil.
Saskatchewan agriculture minister Mark Wartman said the program hopes to connect entrepreneurs and their innovations with the necessary resources.
“The goal is to encourage Saskatchewan young people to stay in the province and pursue careers here,” he said. “All five (finalists) now have a pretty good start to their business.”
