Government Invests to Help Launch Hazelnut Farming in Ontario

SIMCOE, ON, Oct. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Our Government is committed to a strong food processing sector as a driver of jobs and prosperity for Canadians.

Ontario may soon be home to thousands of acres of Hazelnut orchards. Member of Parliament for London North Centre, Peter Fragiskatos on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, announced today an investment of up to $492,052 to the Ontario Hazelnut Association (OHA) to help develop the hazelnut Industry.    

This investment enables the Ontario Hazelnut Association (OHA) to develop orchard management practices to enhance early development of hazelnut trees, develop strategies to mitigate drought stress in nursery trees and establish production techniques to multiply hazelnut plants for commercial use. This project is being conducted in partnership with the University of Guelph and Ferrero Canada.

Quotes

"Launching a Hazelnut industry in Ontario is good news for our farmers, our consumers and our economy. This investment is part of our Government's plan to support a strong and diverse agri-food sector in Ontario, in order to create good jobs and grow the middle class."
- Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre

"The OHA is incredibly pleased to be receiving this tremendous support from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. This project has been making significant research contributions to the development of the hazelnut industry in Ontario by creating new innovations in micropropagation, variety selection, and orchard management. This new crop has enormous potential for Ontario and this support has brought us much closer to realizing our goal of establishing 10,000 hectares in the province by 2027 and creating new economic opportunities for rural communities. We are grateful for our partnerships with the federal and provincial government, the University of Guelph, and Ferrero Canada. We are very proud of the work the University of Guelph has been doing and look forward to future collaborations with both the University of Guelph and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada."
- Linda Grimo, Chair, Ontario Hazelnut Association

Quick facts

• The OHA, located in Guelph, Ontario, is a not-for-profit organization representing the interests of the new hazelnut sector in Ontario. It was established in 2013.
• Budget 2017 set an ambitious goal of growing Canada's agri-food exports to $75 billion by 2025.
• Budget 2017 focused on agri-food as one of the top industries in our Government's Innovation and Skills Plan, an ambitious effort to make Canada a world leader in innovation, with a focus on expanding growth and creating good, well-paying jobs.
• This investment is being made through the Growing Forward 2 AgriInnovation Program, a five-year, up to $698 million initiative.

Additional links

Growing Forward 2 – Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
AgriInnovation – Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
Ontario Hazelnut Association

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

For further information: Guy Gallant, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, 613-773-1059; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972

Related Links

www.agr.gc.ca