Canada’s potato producers can get new federal funding to pay for technical support, equipment or trips to workshops to boost their on-farm food safety regimes.
The Canadian Horticultural Council announced Thursday that its application has been approved for on-farm implementation (OFI) funding for potato producers under the Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program (CFSQP).
The OFI funding allocates $1,050 per grower: $750 to get technical support from an on-farm food safety consultant or buy specialized food safety equipment, and $300 to attend up to three potato-specific OFI workshops.
Individual growers should contact their provincial potato associations for details, the council said. The provincial potato organizations will be the delivery agents for OFI funds.
The council qualified to apply for OFI funding after developing an on-farm food safety program for Canadian potato producers and packers, which had to be approved by a government team led by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The council’s program was endorsed by the CFIA-led technical team in November.
