Oilseed crops are one of the fastest-growing markets in Eastern Canada.

“Our Government is always looking for ways to grow opportunities for farmers in Prince Edward Island, and across our country. This investment into the development of new oilseed varieties made to grow in Eastern Canadian soils and sell in international markets, along with trade opportunities our Government is creating, will help our farmers put more money in their pockets and grow their businesses.”

- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“Our ECODA partners are very pleased to have this opportunity to work together to bring agricultural science, innovation, and commercialization expertise together for the benefit of all Canadians. AAFC’s support is an important incentive for industry-driven R&D that enables the development of breakthrough technologies and commercial successes.”

- Rory Francis, President of ECODA’s Board of Directors

“Research is key: the future is breeding better varieties.  You have to test many different varieties before you get a winner and this investment will help breed varieties that will suit the soils of PEI.  Better varieties will result in greater opportunities for the farmers of PEI, and ultimately more high quality product for Atlantic Soy to expand its non-GMO export market.”

- Murray MacDonald, Manager, Atlantic Soy

• Soybean sales from Eastern Canada to Japan and other Asian Markets total over $2.3 billion.

• Approximately 16% of the soybean acreage in 2016 in Prince Edward Island was exported to Japan to be processed into tofu and miso. 

• The Atlantic Soy facility began operating in March 2008, through a partnership between David Hendrick of Hendrick’s Agri-food and the MacDonald family. 

• With the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, Canadian oilseed growers now have tariff-free access to many Pacific markets, including Japan.

• The Government of Canada has identified the agriculture and agri-food sector as a core driver of jobs, growth and prosperity, setting a target to grow Canada's agri-food exports to  $75 billion annually by 2025.

• Funding was provided through the AgriScience Program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.     

• The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector. The Partnership builds on Growing Forward 2, the previous five-year agreement that ended on March 31, 2018.

• The Partnership includes programs and activities to enhance the competitiveness of the sector through research, science and innovation. Through the AgriScience Program, a five-year, $338 million initiative, the government is supporting leading edge discovery and applied science, and innovation driven by industry research priorities.

Related products

• Backgrounder – Eastern Canada Oilseed Development Alliance

Associated links

• Canadian Agricultural Partnership
• Eastern Canada Oilseeds Development Alliance

Katie Hawkins
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
613-773-1059
katie.hawkins@canada.ca

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@canada.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada
Like us on Facebook: CanadianAgriculture