Feds invest in Atlantic dairy industry

New Brunswick’s dairy industry is receiving $313,000 in federal funding to go towards the creation of new business opportunities, including the possibility of producing new specialty cheeses.

The Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick will receive up to $235,000 that will be used to help identify and develop techniques to help that province’s farmers increase efficiency and profitability. Milk 2020, a not-for-profit company focused on research and innovation in the dairy sector, will also receive up to $78,000 in funding to be used to identify specialty cheese that may be produced using New Brunswick’s surplus milk.

“Canadian milk is second to none in the world for quality. This investment will help dairy farmers in New Brunswick make improvements on the farm to take full advantage of this premium product in a market looking for new and innovative food,” said MP (Tobique-Mactaquac) Mike Allen while making the announcement on behalf of Gerry Ritz, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Added Jim Walker, chairman of Milk 2020: “What is exciting about this project is the way we’ve gotten here, “It’s been really uplifting to see how producers, processors and governments can work together on an idea and bring together expertise from different levels to move it forward.”

The investment is being made through the $163-million Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program.