Quebec’s organic agriculture gets a funding boost

Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que. – A new research centre called the Platform for Innovation in Organic Agriculture is receiving a financial contribution of more than $13 million.

Senator Ghislain Maltais, on behalf of Christian Paradis, minister of Industry and minister of State (Agriculture); Sam Hamad, Quebec minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export; and Pierre Corbeil, Quebec minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as well as the Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA) made the announcement in early June.

Good news

The funding will go toward constructing a multi-purpose centre and acquiring machinery and scientific equipment needed for the work that will be carried out at the new research centre.

Corbeil says the funding and the centre is good news for Quebec. “The spin-offs from the Platform will be beneficial for the organic sector and will flow over into other sectors,” he says.

“In fact, applying the research findings from an integrated management perspective and in the area of organic agriculture will also benefit traditional companies that wish to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.”

The centre is expected to revitalize research, development and knowledge transfer in the area of organic crop production. It will also work on finding solutions to technical and agronomic problems.

The Platform for Innovation in Organic Agriculture, which was designed by the IRDA, will address the research/development needs expressed by more than 30 organizations involved in organic agriculture.

Financial package

The financial contribution of the partners involved in this project is as follows:

• $8,372,109 from the MDEIE under the Research Assistance Program, phase 2 “Support for Research Infrastructure Funding,” namely $7,512,109 for the infrastructure and equipment and $860,000 to defray the additional operating and maintenance expenses;
• $2,170,000 from AgriFlexibility by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;
• $1,200,000 granted by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as a contribution towards the initiative under AgriFlexibility;
• $1,365,234 from the IRDA; and
• $25,000 advanced by the Quebec Wildlife Foundation.

“By supporting the introduction of the Platform for Innovation in Organic Agriculture, the Quebec government and the Government of Canada are showing the importance they attach to research of public interest and knowledge transfer. The work that will be conducted there will support the organic agriculture industry by accelerating the discovery and implementation of solutions that address the needs of farmers and society,” says Gisèle Grandbois, IRDA president and CEO.