Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, Quebec, September 6, 2007 Acting on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for LotbinièreChutes-de-la-Chaudière and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, today announced that the Centre de conditionnement de foin de commerce de Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska will receive $100,000 in non-repayable funding toward the development and operation of Quebec's first commercial hay drying plant. This project will require a total investment of $1,115,000 and lead to the creation of five jobs.
The enterprise will initially market high-quality dried hay to the equestrian market and dairy and cattle producers, and may eventually branch out into the manufacture and sale of drying equipment and the commercialization of other forage products.
"All sectors of our economy must make use of innovation to ensure their cost-effectiveness and growth. That is one of the goals Canada's new government has set and hopes to achieve through its Advantage Canada strategic plan. This innovative project, the fruit of experimental work carried out by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will help bring added value to a primary resource while enabling the region to develop a technological expertise that is particularly promising due to its vast potential for transfer throughout Quebec," stated Minister Blackburn.
"This project is well in line with efforts to establish the Bas-Saint-Laurent Agrobiopole. In addition to playing a role in terms of technology demonstration and the promotion of the Kamouraska region, the operation of this dryer will serve as a commercial pilot project and could well pave the way for the development of a commercial forage industry in Quebec," added Jacques Gourde.
"Our enterprise will generate major economic activity in Saint-Alexandre and its surrounding areas. This project offers a cost-effective solution to the problem of hay surpluses, which will allow regional producers to fetch higher prices and enable us to develop more sophisticated forage products to meet the needs of diverse markets," noted Jocelyn Boucher, President of the Centre de conditionnement de foin de commerce.
During its first three years of operation, the Saint-Alexandre drying plant will export its entire production to the United States. The company's activities could then serve as an example to other Quebec cooperatives and encourage them to invest in drying facilities. It should be noted that this project will also produce positive benefits in terms of sustainable development by reducing the quantity of residual materials used in hay silage.
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Sources:
Claudie Lamontagne
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-722-3282
E-mail: claudie.lamontagne@dec-ced.gc.ca
Roxane Marchand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-953-5646
Cell.: 613-816-5094
E-mail: roxane.marchand@hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca
