Truro, Nova Scotia, March 5, 2013 – Nova Scotia egg producers will improve their profitability by reducing their feed costs with the support of the Harper Government. Member of Parliament Scott Armstrong (Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced today an investment to help bolster the value of the Nova Scotia egg industry by increasing the number of saleable eggs.
"Our government is continuously looking for ways to increase the competitiveness of egg farmers across the country because we recognize the importance of a healthy poultry industry to our economy," said MP Armstrong. "By making strategic investments to promote a sustainable and growing Canadian poultry sector, our government is delivering real results for farmers, which will help them reach their maximum production potential."
With this total investment of over $265,000, the Nova Scotia Egg Producers (NSEP) will lead two projects:
- More than $190,000 will be used to support the monitoring of acidity levels and specific ions in the water supply to determine the balance that is most beneficial for egg production and evaluate the effects of water quality on the performance and metabolism of laying hens.
- Over $75,000 will be directed to a study of how protein supplements in animal feed could improve the overall profitability of the industry by helping egg farmers reduce their feed costs while increasing the production potential of their flock of hens.
"Our organization is committed to helping Nova Scotia egg producers remain competitive and profitable," said Patti Wyllie, General Manager of the Nova Scotia Egg Producers. "Continued investment in these types of research projects helps us achieve that goal."
These projects are supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), a five-year, $163-million initiative to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. Agri-Futures Nova Scotia delivers the regional component of CAAP in Nova Scotia.
The Harper Government remains focused on research and innovation to improve the agri-food sector''s ability to seize new market opportunities, and it and is committed to supporting industry leadership that stimulates business development and competitiveness through the new Growing Forward 2 policy framework.
For more information on the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program, please visit agriculture.canada.ca/caap.
To learn more about the Nova Scotia Egg Producers, please visit www.nsegg.ca.
For more information about Agri-Futures Nova Scotia, please visit www.agri-futures.ns.ca.
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Jeff English
Press Secretary
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
Patti Wyllie
General Manager
Nova Scotia Egg Producers
902-890-8885
pwyllie@nsegg.ca
