Canada and Manitoba Invest Over $600,000 in State-of-the-art Cereal Testing Facility

November 23, 2007

Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Canadian International Grain Institute (CIGI) will establish an advanced pilot cereal testing, training and demonstration centre with over $499,000 in funding through the Canada-Manitoba Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives is also providing $103,700 towards the project through the Food Development Centre.

“The Government of Canada is working in partnership with other orders of government and industry to bring real and lasting benefits throughout Manitoba and across the West,” said James Bezan, Member of Parliament for Selkirk-Interlake on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. “This joint investment will help CIGI and industry stakeholders establish an advanced testing, training and demonstration centre to ensure that the Canadian field crop and value-added food producers remain competitive and better able to pursue new export markets.”

"The funding announced today will assist with Manitoba's ability to sustain its competitive edge in agri-business markets,” said Jim Rondeau, Manitoba Minister of Competitiveness, Training and Trade. “CIGI’s demonstration centre will play an invaluable role in helping evaluate and adapting new technologies, information and equipment that can increase profitability for Manitoba farmers."

Through the acquisition of new state-of-the-art equipment, this project will enable CIGI to expand its capabilities for crop and new food product development. The equipment will meet or exceed current domestic and international competitive testing and manufacturing standards and practices.

CIGI is a not-for-profit research and education organization established in 1972. Its vision is to provide world-class promotion of Canada’s field crops and their products.

“CIGI appreciates the level of support for this project from the federal and provincial governments,” said Barry Senft, CIGI Executive Director. “This is truly an example of the importance both levels of government have given to ensuring that CIGI has the relevant technology in the promotion of Canadian field crops.”

The agriculture grain and value-added food processing sectors are important to the Manitoba and Canadian economies, especially with regard to export sales. International standards and processing requirements in these industries have been evolving. This project will ensure CIGI and industry stakeholders can clearly demonstrate their competitive advantage. It will allow them to strategically compete in the international marketplace while being innovative and adaptive to meet the ever-changing consumer demands and market conditions.

Planned equipment acquisition, funded through the EPA, includes such items as a Near Infrared Analyzer (for rapid chemical qualifications), Lab Scale Cold and Cooking Extruders (allowing CIGI to obtain technical information on functional food ingredients, aquaculture, pet foods and the cereal segments of the market), and a C-Cell Image Analysis System (for gauging the internal structure of bread products). The Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives funding will support the acquisition of equipment for the Advance Asian Product testing Laboratory portion of the project.

Under the Canada-Manitoba Economic Partnership Agreement, the governments of Canada and Manitoba are working together and in partnership with community stakeholders to build the economy and strengthen communities. These priorities promote economic growth and diversification in the province. For more information on this and other projects funded under EPA, visit: http://www.epa.gov.mb.ca.