Government of Canada gives boost to the local dairy industry in the Eastern Townships and Centre-du-Québec Français
VAL-DES-SOURCES, QC, July 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced investments totalling over $535,000 for three projects with Quebec dairy processors that will help boost production and capacity. Minister Bibeau made the announcement during visits to two of the dairy processors, emphasizing that the dairy industry is a vital part of the local rural economy, and the Government of Canada is investing so the dairy industry is well-positioned for sustainable future growth.
Minister Bibeau announced an investment of up to $222,975 to Les Fromages Latino Inc. in Val-des-Sources to support the installation of a new refrigerator system, a cream separator, cheese making equipment, and a packaging line. This investment is expected to create up to four new jobs, and will help the company increase production to meet demand in their unique market, decrease costs, and triple its milk use by 2024.
Minister Bibeau also announced up to $230,440 for La Fromagerie du Presbytère in Ste-Elizabeth-de-Warwick for the purchase of new production and packaging equipment, along with cold room equipment. The project will lower production costs while increasing efficiency, and enhance the site's agritourism offerings. By 2023, it is expected that this funding will allow the business to double the amount of milk used for cheese production.
Finally, she also announced up to $83,552 for Fromagerie La Station Inc., located in Compton, for the purchase and installation of an automated cutting system, a packaging machine, and the installation of a cold room for cheese preservation. This investment will reduce production costs and enable the company to quintuple its milk use by 2024. This announcement builds on previous DPIF funding of $910,355 for La Station to automate its cheese maturation processes.
Quotes
"The investments made today will help three dairy processors in the Eastern Townships and Centre-du-Québec to meet the growing demand for local cheese and milk products. By helping our processors increase their productivity, we are keeping our local rural communities strong and ensuring a sustainable future for the next generation of Canadian dairy producers."
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"Thanks to the financial support of the Canadian government, we will be able to offer locally produced Latin American cheeses to even more consumers across Canada. This is what motivates us and our entire team to surpass ourselves day after day."
- Isabel Cristina Correa, Co-Owner, Fromages Latino Inc.
"We are very grateful for this funding, which will allow us to update our facilities. The new production and packaging equipment and the equipment for our cold room will go a long way to increasing our efficiency."
- Jean Morin, Co-Owner, Fromagerie du Presbytère
"The assistance provided has enabled us to carry out a project that greatly increased our capacity and efficiency in cutting and packaging cheese. This project opens the door to new market opportunities."
- Simon-Pierre Bolduc, Co-Owner, Fromagerie La Station
Quick Facts
- The investments announced today are made through the Dairy Processing Investment Fund. The Fund, valued at $100 million, helps dairy processors modernize their operations to improve productivity and competitiveness.
- Budget 2021 committed a further $292.5 million over seven years to help all supply-managed processors, including poultry and egg processors, invest to keep their plants on the cutting edge.
- Les Fromages Latino Inc. produces 11 varieties of firm and semi-firm Latin American cheeses under the brand name Rumba, as well as fruit-flavoured yogurt drinks and cream.
- La Fromagerie du Presbytère specializes in the production of fine cheeses from heat-treated or pasteurized raw milk from cows fed on organic feed.
- Fromagerie La Station Inc. is a family-owned producer of certified organic and artisanal cheeses.
- The Canadian dairy sector is a vital pillar of rural communities and a key driver of the economy. There are 10,095 dairy farms in Canada supporting approximately 19,000 direct jobs. The demand for Canadian dairy remains strong, and has led to a 10% increase in raw milk production in the last five years, with over $7 billion in farm cash receipts in 2020.
- There are over 500 dairy processors in Canada. In total, they generated close to $17 billion in sales in 2020, and support more than 25,000 direct jobs. When accounting for both direct and indirect employment, the dairy processing sector supports close to 211,000 jobs.
Additional Links
Dairy Processing Investment Fund
Investing in quality cheese production capacity in Quebec
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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Contacts: Oliver Anderson, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected], 613-462-4327; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]
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