Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Today, Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment of $120,950 in support of dairy processor La Ferme Vallée Verte 1912.
The investment, made through the Dairy Processing Investment Fund (DPIF), will help to automate the company’s manufacturing system, including their packaging line for the bottling and labeling of yogurt and fluid milk. It is expected that the project will allow La Ferme Vallée Verte 1912 to increase its milk processing capacity by 130 per cent over five years and create five full-time jobs.
DPIF was designed to help the sector increase productivity and competitiveness, and help it prepare for market changes resulting from the Canada – European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The program provides non-repayable contributions to support projects through capital investment or access to expertise.
Quotes
“Our Government is proud to help our dairy processors remain competitive by investing in innovation. This investment will allow Ferme Vallée Verte 1912, a family business, to modernize its operations and increase its productivity in the coming years, while creating good jobs and economic benefits for this rural community.”
– Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“In an enchanting setting where the beauty of fauna and flora is highlighted, we have decided to diversify the operations of our family business, which has been growing for several generations. The cheese dairy modernization project has enabled us to improve our efficiency and productivity. As result, we are now better equipped to meet the growing demand of local markets and we can be more competitive in the face of the challenges of European free trade.”
– Samuel and David Gadoury, Owners, Ferme Vallée Verte 1912 cheese dairy
Quick facts
- La Ferme Vallée Verte, founded in 1912, has been producing a variety of milks, yogurts and cheeses since 2014.
- Canada has more than 478 dairy processors that generate $14.3 billion in sales and create over 42,000 jobs.
- The Dairy Processing Investment Fund, valued at $100 million, is designed to help dairy processors modernize their operations, improving productivity and competitiveness
- Canada’s dairy sector is also supported by the associated $250 million Dairy Farm Investment Program, which is already benefiting more than 3,300 dairy producers across the country. This is in addition to the $1.75 billion over eight years made available to Canada’s nearly 11,000 dairy farmers for loss of market share from the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).