Agropur invests $3.7 million in its Island Farms plant (Victoria) waste water
treatment

LONGUEUIL, QC, April 6 /CNW Telbec/ - In order to meet the Capital Region's sewage treatment requirements, Agropur has invested $3.7 million in its Island Farms plant to ensure that its production by-products are no longer discharged into the sewers.

"This intensive investment can best be summed up as "the right thing to do"," explains Mike Dick, Vice-President, Western Canada Agropur Division Natrel. "Although a regional sewage treatment system would have addressed our plants' outflow requirements, we preferred not to wait any longer as there was too much uncertainty about the timelines, and we knew how important it was to show proof of good environmental stewardship. Although the financial investment in the Dissolved Air Filtration (DFA) treatment system is significant, it was well worth it and I'm pleased with the cooperation and creative work that took place with the CRD to ensure that 100% of the dairy production effluents are now treated and neutralized."

"Agropur's commitment to Victoria is extensive. Through Island Farms, it works to enrich the community through several active outreach programs. It distributes over 72,000 litres of milk annually to food banks through its Milk for Kids program, sponsors dozens of charities and sports organizations, and partners with the MS Society, the ALS Society, and the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life to raise funds for research. One of our core beliefs is to invest in the communities we serve and to protect the environment," concluded Mike Dick.

About Island Farms

Originally established in 1944 as a dairy cooperative, Island Farms has been a key producer of milk on Vancouver Island for over fifty years. The Victoria plant processes over a million litres of milk a week, or 60 million litres every year. Agropur employs 367 Island Farms employees on Vancouver Island and mainland BC.

About Agropur

Founded in 1938, Agropur cooperative is a Canadian owned organization and a market leader in the Canadian dairy industry. It has 3,533 members and 5,225 employees at 27 plants and numerous distribution centres and offices across Canada, the U.S. and Argentina. It processes 3.1 billion litres of milk on an annualized basis and offers an impressive array of products, including such popular brands as Island Farms, Québon, Oka, Sealtest, Natrel, Yoplait, La Lacteo, Trega and Schroeder.

For further information: Renée-Claude Boivin, Senior Advisor, Agropur, [phone], est. 4564, [email protected]