Wynne Makes Pitch in China to Alibaba to Sell Ontario Agri-Food Products. Is there anything Ontario farmers or the ag industry can do to help?

Premier Kathleen Wynne is in China on a one-week trade mission and is keen to sell more agri-food items. Officials met with senior executives at Alibaba, aiming to convince the Chinese online shopping giant to carry Ontario made products.

In this Toronto Star article the interest by the company sounds very positive: http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/10/29/wynne_woos_alibaba_in_ch...

Is there anything Ontario farmers or the ag industry can do to help?

What else can Kathleen Wynne do to help the agri-food industry in Ontario?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on November 2, 2014 at 5:06am

The government is investing $713,000 to Martin’s Family Fruit Farm to adapt their processing equipment for the slicing and dehydration of fresh vegetables into chips.

“This type of innovation is key to creating jobs and increasing profitability for farmers,” said MP Harold Albrecht, who made the announcement on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

The company already makes apple chips at their processing facility in Elmira. They will work to develop a dehydration method for potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. Martin’s will also design and install processing equipment for large-scale production.

“This project will help create jobs and increase demand for vegetables leading to increased opportunities and greater profitability for farmers,” Albrecht said.

The money comes from the AgriInnovation program. Albrecht said the goal of the program is for Canadian producers to benefit from cutting edge science and technology while boosting the economy.

“When we think about innovation in Waterloo Region, we think about computers and digital media, but Martin’s Family Fruit Farm are a shining example of the innovation occurring at the farm gate,” Albrecht said.

“It’s exciting to see the growth from where we came from, from the first hundred apple trees that my father planted in ’71 to where we are now,” said Kevin Martin, the President of Martin’s Family Fruit Farm.

▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Corteva bringing Telbek PRO fungicide to Canadian wheat growers

The product is the first Group 21 fungicide in cereals

ODA accepting 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer nominations

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is joining partners at all levels in celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, according to a recent news release.. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024, the IYWF highlights a global commitment to empowering and recognizing women in agriculture. “Help us celebrate Oregon women in agriculture,” said ODA Director Lisa Charpilloz Hanson in the release. “Share stories about their inspiration, the challenges they face, and the benefits of supporting female farmers and their contributions to our resilient agriculture and food systems. Send us your stories, and we will help raise awareness of the achievements of women in Oregon agriculture.” ODA invites industry partners and the public to submit stories and photos. The agency plans to feature these women across its communication platforms throughout the year. To participate, complete the online form at oda.direct/IYWF. Submissions will be shared on ODA’s Facebook

Advancing small business in rural Eastern Ontario

Eastern Ontario is fortunate to have not-for-profit organizations that are dedicated to helping small, rural businesses grow through financial support, guidance and strategic planning. Assistance can be found through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) for funding support for job creation and investment, as well as through the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to support skilled trades advancement, training, apprenticeships and provincial employment services. In addition, the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) is part of a national group of 60 Ontario and 267 Canadian CFDCs, supported by both the provincial and federal governments, to build strong, rural communities. This organization offers counsel for community-based projects, business services and access to business loans up to $150,000. Under the umbrella of the CFDC is the Community Futures Eastern Ontario (CFEO), a regional association with professional members focus

Farmers provide ‘on the job training’ for Ontario agriculture minister

Trevor Jones is coming up on his first year as Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness and says the job has been a humbling learning experience. Since taking on the portfolio in March, Jones said he’s visited people on farms in communities across Ontario, at dinner tables, in stables and barns. Beginning his career with the Ontario Provincial Police, Jones later took on an executive role in the fresh food industry. Although he didn’t grow up on a farm, Jones said farmers have “welcomed me with open arms.” One thing he has learned from meeting farmers across Ontario is to ask questions. “If you don’t know, they know,” Jones said. “You can’t fake it.” When you ask questions, he said, “A farmer’s eyes will light up and tell you their story about challenges, opportunities, ideas and they’ll train you on the job. “So right now, it’s on the job training. Our farming families across the Ontario are training me to be a good minister.”

Funds meant as hand-up to farming, agriculture

Ontario farmers and agriculture-based businesses looking to bite into a chunk of $20 million in provincial and federal funds can start submitting applications at the end of next month. The funds, for enhancing or expanding existing operations, intend to give qualified recipients a hand-up "in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty," a provincial news release said on Tuesday. Applications to the Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative can be made between Feb. 17 and March 17. "This investment will help our local farmers and agribusinesses sell more (Ontario-grown) products to markets around the world," Ontario Agriculture minister Trevor Jones said in the news release. Jones, a former police officer, grew up in Leamington, a southwestern Ontario farming hub. Program applicants must have less than 500 employees, a backgrounder says. Information about how to apply is available online at ontario.ca. Also this week, an Ottawa-based association of Canadian agricult

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service