ProduceWooden box with a crop of organic vegetables in the hands of a farmer in a greenhouse. (Photo by Nadezhda Novikova/ iStock / via Getty Images Plus)
Sarnia

New program will support farmers, agri-businesses find new markets

A $20-million investment in the new Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative will help farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses sell their products abroad.

The federal and provincial governments announced the investment on Tuesday morning, saying the initiative will fund a list of projects to increase competitiveness and support the expansion of those businesses into new and international markets.

"This investment will help our local farmers and agribusinesses sell more products grown in Ontario to markets around the world," said Trevor Jones, Ontario's Minister for Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness and MPP for Chatham-Kent-Leamington. "Our government is proud to support the farmers and businesses who drive our nearly $52-billion agri-food sector forward each and every day."

The Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative is part of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership and supports Ontario's Grow Ontario Strategy, giving farmers the tools needed to build long-term resilience, create jobs, and stay competitive in the face of economic uncertainty and tariffs.

The initiative opens for applications on February 17. Funding will cover a proportion of approved project costs depending on the type of proposal submitted.

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