Canada helps fund Western organic grain growers’ expansion

June 1, 2015, Edmonton – Under its Western Diversification Program, the federal government will provide $1.2 million to help Prairie organic grain growers expand into growing international markets.

Federal funding for the project will go towards enhancing the Organic Alberta Council’s leadership in the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative (POGI), which works to enhance organic grain and field crop growers’ production, quality and profitability, and to support their participation in trade shows and international missions, Western Economic Diversification Canada said in a news release.

The POGI initiative is a pan-western partnership between the Organic Alberta Council, the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate, the Manitoba Organic Alliance and the Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia. The project has also received funding from a number of industry partners, including USC Canada, Dave’s Killer Bread, Nature’s Path, and Grain Miller’s Inc.

“Our Government is pleased to support new opportunities for organic farmers to improve production and sell their products internationally,” said Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, in the release. “By helping to increase the capacity of western organic growers to compete in the global organic food market, we are ensuring that the western Canadian economy can continue to grow and prosper.”