The federal and Manitoba provincial governments have announced more than $1.7 million in funding for a Manitoba value-chain initiative.
Value chains enable farmers to develop and expand market opportunities and create stronger links between farmers, processors and retailers, said Gerry Ritz, federal agriculture minister, in a prepared release.
The federal portion of the funding is provided through the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (MRAC) and will amount to more than $915,000. Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) will kick in another $200,000 a year for four years, along with an estimated $1.1 million worth of ‘in-kind’ contributions of staff support and expertise.
“Value Chain Manitoba will unite producers, processors and suppliers to develop innovative products that will deliver new economic opportunities to Manitoba’s agriculture sector,” said provincial Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk in the joint statement.
Workshops for the MRAC/MAFRI initiative began this fall, which complements similar efforts in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and all comprise a portion of the tri-province Western Canadian Value Chain Initiative.
