| Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today announced that Canada's New Government is investing $300,000 in three Ontario organizations to help them participate in the emerging biofuels industry. |
| "Canada's New Government has recently launched a number of initiatives to support and stimulate alternative energy development in Canada," said Joe Preston. "These initiatives demonstrate the government's commitment to protecting the environment, and creating new opportunities for farmers and our agricultural sector." |
| Projects being funded by the Biofuels Opportunities for Producers Initiative (BOPI) in Ontario include: |
|
· $225,000 to Ag Energy Co-operative to determine the most beneficial approaches to financing, business plans and investment proposals for biofuel production; |
|
· $45,000 to the Ontario Canola Growers' Association to determine the economic benefits of canola-based diesel for farmers and the local agricultural community; and |
|
· $30,000 to the Ontario Soybean Growers to explore the economics and financial feasibility of on-farm bio-diesel production. |
| "These projects will help lead Ontario in biofuel production research," said Bette Jean Crews, Chair of the Agricultural Adaptation Council. "It demonstrates Ontario's commitment to our environment and our agriculture sector." |
| BOPI is a $20 million commitment by Canada's New Government that is designed to provide farmers and rural communities with opportunities to participate in, and benefit from, increased Canadian biofuels production. The initiative helps agricultural producers develop sound business proposals, as well as undertake feasibility or other studies to support the creation and expansion of biofuel production capacity. It is delivered through the regional industry councils that administer Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's ACAAF Program. In Ontario, the funding for these projects is administered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council. |
| In Budget 2007, Canada's New Government allocated $2 billion over seven years to support the production of renewable fuels. In addition, since coming to office, this government has announced $500 million to assist farmers and rural communities to seize new market opportunities in the bio-economy through biofuels and bio-products initiatives. |
