Ste. Agathe, Manitoba, Canada
July 6, 2015

The Canada and Manitoba governments will invest in new equipment to support the growth of the hemp seed processing industry, Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn, announced today.

Governments will provide nearly $390,000 to Hemp Oil Canada Inc. (HOCI) to purchase and install a new optical sorter and packaging system at its new processing facility in Ste. Agathe. The equipment will modernize the packing line, improve food safety and ensure the company can remain competitive in the international hemp seed market.

Quick Facts

• HOCI is the largest hemp seed wholesaler in North America, with annual sales of more than $25 million. The company employs 30 full-time staff and purchases 10 million pounds of hemp from prairie farmers every year. The new facility which is expected to open in summer 2015 will help create 10 new jobs.
• Government funding represents 50 percent of the cost of the new equipment.
• The Growing Forward 2 - Growing Value program provides financial assistance to existing agri-businesses that need to make changes to adapt to market forces and environmental considerations, to increase their ability to compete in domestic and international markets.
• The federal and provincial governments are investing $176 million in Manitoba under Growing Forward 2, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial policy framework to advance the agriculture industry, helping producers and processors become more innovative and competitive in world markets.
• Minister Kostyshyn noted this investment also supports the Manitoba government’s goal of creating a $5.5 billion food processing industry by 2022.

Quote

"Our Government is pleased to see the growth of Manitoba’s agriculture industry. This investment will create new opportunities for hemp producers and processors to expand their markets and sell their products across Canada and around the world."

 – Member of Parliament for Provencher Ted Falk

"Manitoba’s hemp industry continues to expand, creating new opportunities for farmers, processors and many other stakeholders. Hemp is a healthy and nutritious choice, and this is driving consumer demand here at home and around the world. We are pleased to invest in this new equipment with HOCI, as it will increase efficiency and support their ongoing commitment to food safety."

 – Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn

"Funding from Growing Forward 2 will allow us to take the next leap forward in providing the highest quality hemp food products in the marketplace. We are excited to continuously improve upon our manufacturing processes by adopting these technologies that will lead to industry leading quality assurance and efficiencies in hemp food manufacturing"

 – president and CEO of HOCI, Shaun Crew

Additional links

• Growing Forward 2 (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
• Growing Forward 2 (Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development)
• Hemp Oil Canada

Website: http://www.agr.gc.ca

Published: July 6, 2015