The Provincial Government is investing nearly $346,000 to support agriculture infrastructure projects for fruit and vegetable producers under the 2023-24 Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program, including more than $127,000 for eight new entrants to the agriculture sector.
Access to good food is a key social determinant of health, and these projects will help support the well-being of residents by increasing food self-sufficiency, agricultural growth, and secondary processing in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Agriculture infrastructure projects include support for three greenhouse operations, and funding for equipment to help vegetable, fruit and forage producers enhance vegetable production, improve soil health and adapt to climate change. Details on investments are available in the backgrounder below.
Budget 2023 approved $2.25 million for the Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program to support current farmers and new entrants to the province’s agriculture and agrifoods sectors. The program has two streams, focusing on agriculture infrastructure and land development. Projects support food self-sufficiency, and increase agricultural growth and secondary processing.
The Provincial Government is also investing nearly $757,000 to support agriculture infrastructure projects for dairy and livestock producers, including more than $185,000 for pasture development projects and more than $60,000 for four new entrants to the livestock sector.
The Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program is one of two major programs that support Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector. Under the five-year, $3.5-billion Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Newfoundland and Labrador’s farmers and producers can also access more than $42 million in cost-shared funding. With the support of these programs, Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector has exceeded the Provincial Government’s goal of doubling food self-sufficiency in fruit and vegetable production from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, reaching more than 21 per cent by the end of 2022.
Quotes
“The variety of initiatives funded for fruit and vegetable producers under this year’s Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program reflects farmers’ commitment to diverse and environmentally sustainable farms. I am especially pleased to see new sector entrants committing to a future in agriculture. By working together and investing in agriculture, we are improving food self-sufficiency in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
“Fruit and vegetable producers are committed to diversifying crops, improving infrastructure, adapting to the challenges of climate change, and making this sector stronger and more self-sufficient. The Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program has consistently provided support to help us with the changing environment. We appreciate the Provincial Government’s ongoing commitment to expanding and enhancing our sector.”
Melvin J. Rideout
President, Fruit & Vegetable Growers Newfoundland and Labrador
-30-
Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program
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BACKGROUNDER
2023-24 Agriculture Infrastructure Projects – Fruit and Vegetable Production
| Vegetable, Fruit and Greenhouse Production | |||
| Project | Purpose | Proponent | Approved Funding |
| Agriculture sprayer | Decrease pesticide usage; enhance environmental sustainability practices and vegetable production
|
Thomas Williams, Goulds | $6,728.00 |
| Vegetable washer, vegetable storage facility upgrades
|
Enhance efficiency and food safety practices; increase vegetable storage capacity | Larry Warren, Springdale | $18,134.00 |
| Fertilizer application and drip irrigation system | Improve soil health and nutrient efficiency; increase productivity; adapt to climate change and enhance water use efficiency
|
Craig Barrett, Whitbourne | $1,608.00 |
| Irrigation systems | Support environmental stewardship and adapt to climate change; enhance farm productivity
|
Triple E Farms Ltd., Comfort Cove | $27,808.00 |
| Round baler, round bale wrapper and self-loading round bale trailer for forage production
|
Support on-farm diversification; enhance productivity; increase forage sales | Fusion Holdings Ltd., Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s | $50,000.00 |
| Irrigation water pump for cranberry crop production | Increase farm capacity and efficiency when flooding cranberry fields for harvest; increase acreage and harvest
|
Glenfair Farms Ltd., Wooddale | $24,437.00 |
| Post-harvest trailer for small fruit crop production
|
Enhance small fruit production | 86143 NL Inc., Wooddale | $10,411.00 |
| Rock burier, greenhouse furnace, flexible strawberry row tunnel for fruit crop production
|
Enhance farmland productivity; reduce fossil fuel consumption; extend fruit crop seasons | Lester’s Farm Market Inc., Mount Pearl | $75,000.00 |
| Greenhouse equipment | Enhance productivity; support environmental stewardship; increase vegetable sales | Murray’s Horticultural Services Ltd., Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s
|
$4,380.00 |
| New Entrants | |||
| Environment controlled vegetable production system
|
Enhance vegetable production; preserve product quality; increase vegetable sales
|
Green Farm Innovations Inc., Mount Pearl | $4,665.00 |
| Potato planter, disc harrow, pallet forks
|
Enhance vegetable production | David Dawe, Conception Bay South | $6,382.00 |
| Tractor, loader attachment | Increase vegetable production | Chris LeDrew, Conception Bay South
|
$20,000.00 |
| Tractor, loader attachment | Increase vegetable production | Murray Perrett and Tanya Schlossek, Happy Valley-Goose Bay
|
$20,000.00 |
| Tractor, loader attachment, equipment storage building
|
Increase vegetable production | M&M Farming Company Ltd., Deer Lake | $55,000.00 |
| Vegetable production system and portable low tunnels
|
Support labour-saving technology, extend seasons, and enhance vegetable production | Tavis Russell and Anja Sajovic, St. John’s | $15,000.00 |
| Field irrigation equipment | Enhance small fruit production | Springdale’s Gardens Inc., Springdale
|
$2,889.00 |
| Vegetable transplanter | Support labour-saving technology, enhance farm productivity, increase vegetable sales
|
Terry Travers, Sandringham | $3,490.00 |
| (Total new entrants: $127,426.00) | |||
| Total vegetable, fruit and greenhouse production: $345,932.00 | |||