Government invests in nations most valuable food export

MORELL, P.E.I. – Jasper Wyman & Son Canada Inc. received over $971,000 in funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriInnovate Program.

Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, announced an additional repayable contribution of $500,000 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency’s Business Development Program.

This funding will be used to install new equipment to more efficiently and precisely sort produce while removing up to 99 per cent of defective berries. The project will help Jasper Wyman & Son Canada Inc. grow exports and sales, increase processing capacity, reduce water and energy consumption and hire additional staff.

The Government of Prince Edward Island will provide a $194,000 grant through Innovation PEI to assist with the project.

In 2018 blueberries were Canada’s most valuable fruit export making up 58 per cent of total fruit exports with a farm gate value of over $243 million.

• Jasper Wyman & Son Canada Inc., including its parent company, makes up the second-largest supplier of wild blueberries in the world. The company farms approximately 1,200 acres of wild blueberries in Canada.
• ACOA’s Business Development Program (BDP) helps small and medium-sized enterprises and co-operatives start, expand or modernize their businesses by providing access to capital in the form of interest-free repayable assistance.
• The AgriInnovate Program provides repayable contributions for projects that aim to accelerate the commercialization, adoption and/or demonstration of innovative products, technologies, processes or services that increase agri-sector competitiveness and sustainability.