Released on May 10, 2013
Funding to Find Efficiencies and Improve Production in Processing Facilities
Today, Member of Parliament Ray Boughen (Palliser), on behalf of Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced $10 million over five years for the Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing (SLIM) program.
“Our government is proud to invest in programs that help strengthen Saskatchewan agriculture and overall economic growth,” said Boughen. “When agri-business processors achieve greater efficiencies, they improve not only their businesses, but also the bottom line of our farmers and the long-term prosperity for the Canadian economy.”
“As our agriculture industry grows, there is a demand to provide safe, reliable products more efficiently and effectively than ever before,” Stewart said. “Increasing our value-added processing is a key component of our plan for growth and this new initiative will help to achieve that goal and grow the industry.”
The new SLIM program will provide funding to help value-added agribusiness processors adopt best practices, new technologies, and state-of-the-art processes that stimulate improvements in productivity and efficiency.
The SLIM program will provide funding for lean gap analysis to help applicants identify process improvements, associated equipment, facility modifications, and training requirements related to improvements in productivity and efficiency. Eligible expenditures under the gap analysis include consultant fees and expenses directly related to the cost of developing the assessment. Funding is available for up to 50 per cent of eligible and approved expenses to a maximum of $20,000 per applicant.
The program also includes an infrastructure component, which will provide funding for facility modifications, equipment and associated installation and training to improve productivity as identified in the gap analysis. This would include projects such as process automation, process improvements and technology adoption. Funding is available for up to 50 per cent of eligible and approved expenses. The maximum project allocation per applicant is $500,000.
The SLIM program is open to Saskatchewan agri-businesses involved in value-added processing of agricultural products, such as food, feed and bio-products.
“Our goal is to produce top-quality products and if we can find a more efficient way to serve our clients’ needs, we will look at any and all opportunities,” Donald’s Fine Foods President Tony Martinez said. “This program will allow agri-businesses, like ours, with the extra incentive to improve our overall processes.”
Interested applicants can find more information on the Ministry of Agriculture website at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/growingforward2.
This funding is provided under the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 framework. The federal and provincial governments will invest $388 million in Saskatchewan for strategic initiatives, under Growing Forward 2, over five years, an increase of more than $25 million per year over the previous Growing Forward framework.
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For more information, contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa
Phone: 613-773-7972
Jeff English
Office of Gerry Ritz
Ottawa
Phone: 613-773-1059
Tiffany Stephenson
Agriculture
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4031
Email: tiffany.stephenson@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-536-3851