The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, today announced nearly $13 million in funding to create jobs in the agriculture sector and assist farmers and producers. The funding is part of a plan to support employment in rural communities and help open new markets and products for renewable resource-based businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Premier Ball and Minister Byrne announced the funding at the Western Agriculture Centre Research Station at Pynn’s Brook, the site of ongoing academic research and education aimed at improving food self-sufficiency in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Initiatives announced today include:

• $3.5 million to increase local beef production and determine support for local secondary beef processing facilities;
• $2.75 million for land development to increase large-scale potato production;
• $1.5 million for regional equipment banks to assist new farming entrants;
• $1.4 million for road construction to improve access to agricultural Areas of Interest;
• $1.25 million to support proposals for regional vegetable cold storage facilities;
• $1 million to construct a greenhouse complex at the Western Agriculture Centre Research Station at Pynn’s Brook;
• $1.01 million for critical equipment at the Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development at Wooddale to expand activities to support the agriculture sector;
• $300,000 for training and supports for the beekeeping industry; and
• $100,000 to support agricultural virtual market opportunities.

Funding for these initiatives is expected to generate at least 250 seasonal and permanent jobs in the agriculture sector. For more information on the projects, please see the attached backgrounder.

Quotes
“Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture industry, including secondary processing, is valued at $500 million and employs more than 5,000 people. This plan will enhance measures already in place to support food self-sufficiency. Whether it is helping commercial farmers diversify their crops, making more Crown land available and accessible for farming, or conducting innovative crop research and enhancing local beef production, we are committed to supporting Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector well into the future.”
Honourable Dwight Ball
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“With access to safe, healthy food on everyone’s minds, Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector is navigating through challenging times. These innovative, practical initiatives address real needs in the agriculture sector – the need for regional equipment banks so farmers can borrow tools and machinery, new roads to provide easier access to agricultural land, and vegetable cold storage and red-meat processing facilities to help increase markets and profits. With a new growing season upon us, I’m pleased to offer a suite of initiatives tailor-made to support and advance our province’s agriculture sector.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources

“Newfoundland and Labrador’s farmers and producers put their hearts and souls into their work. We appreciate the Provincial Government’s commitment not just to supporting opportunities to create jobs, but to listening to the voices of the agriculture sector and working with us to identify challenges, seek solutions, and support new opportunities in agriculture.”
Wayne Simmons
President, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture

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Media contacts
Jeremy Reynolds
Office of the Premier
709-729-3558
jeremyreynolds@gov.nl.ca

Linda Skinner
Fisheries and Land Resources
709-637-2284, 632-8167
lindaskinner@gov.nl.ca

Wayne Simmons
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture
709-632-4593
waynejsimmons69@gmail.com

BACKGROUNDER

Initiatives Announced to Support the Agriculture Industry

Beef Industry Development

$1 million to provide 10 beef cows to 20 separate beef operations in the province to improve the quality and number of animals produced here, support the expansion of the industry, and increase food self-sufficiency.

$2.5 million towards a Request for Proposals for a red meat abattoir to determine industry interest in establishing secondary beef processing facilities in the province.

Large-Scale Potato Production

$2.75 million to increase large-scale potato production through land development in Dead Water Brook and Junction Brook, and the former Glenwood seed potato farm, expected to create and estimated 50-75 jobs to support certified seed potato production at the Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development.

This project will involve land clearing and development of 700 acres of land, including access road development, for potato production to yield more than seven million pounds of potatoes annually – the equivalent of 120 tractor-trailer loads.

Regional Equipment Banks for New Farming Entrants

$1.5 million to establish provincially owned and operated equipment banks in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Pynn’s Brook and Wooddale to support the start-up of new farming operations in identified Agricultural Areas of Interest, and to help spur agricultural development in Central Labrador.

These locations have been identified based on areas where new land is available for development, and equipment is unavailable to rent or borrow from other farmers.

Agricultural Roads

$1.4 million to construct 30 kilometres of new roads and bridges to provide primary access to Crown-owned Agricultural Areas of Interest available for lease to existing and new farmers for vegetable and fruit production.

Road construction is estimated to create employment for 60 people, and seasonal agricultural employment for up to 100 people.

Vegetable Cold Storage

An additional $1 million to support proposals received during the on-going Expression of Interest for regional vegetable cold storage facilities in Labrador, Western Newfoundland, Central Newfoundland and Eastern Newfoundland, for a total investment of $1.25 million. Each facility is expected to generate at least five seasonal positions.

Greenhouse Expansion

$1 million to construct a greenhouse complex including seven greenhouses and a header house at the Pynn’s Brook Western Agriculture Centre. The complex will produce vegetable transplant and fruit plants, support agricultural training programs at College of the North Atlantic and Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, and provide greenhouse space to enhance departmental research and development.

Wooddale Critical Equipment Supply

$1.01 million to acquire agricultural equipment to expand activities at the Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development associated with provincial seed potato program, vegetable transplant program and fruit crop development program.

Honeybee Development Program

$300,000 to provide financial and training support to beekeepers hoping to expand production.

Newfoundland has a unique situation in the world because of the disease-free status of its honeybees. Training and support for the beekeeping industry, in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Beekeeping Association (NLBKA), will result in the ability to create jobs in production and secondary processing of honey products.

Agricultural Virtual Market Opportunities

$100,000 to establish supports to enable farmers to sell products direct to consumers online.