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Minister MacAulay announces new investment to advance Canada’s horticulture sector

While visiting Abbotsford, B.C., the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighted a $9.8 million partnership with the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) through the AgriScience Program – Clusters Component, a program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, that will aim to assist Canada’s horticulture industry by enhancing research that protects the environment, builds greater resilience, and helps ensure Canadians have access to high-quality products.

Minister MacAulay tours Maan Farm, located in Abbotsford, British Columbia, accompanied by co-owner Kris Maan.

The investment will fund research that builds off of previous cluster investments, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, supporting the development of new varieties, disease management, labour cost-savings, climate resilience, and greener pesticides and energy, with a focus on apples, berries, field vegetables, greenhouse vegetables, and potatoes. The goal of this research is to reduce the reliance on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, advance innovative technologies, and create new disease control technology.

The Cluster consists of research activities that focus on the AgriScience Program priority areas: Climate change & environment, economic growth & development, and sector resilience & societal changes.