News Release Archive
AGRICULTURE/MARKETING--NOVA SCOTIA AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRY GROWING ----------------------------------------------------------------- The agri-food industry in Nova Scotia is expanding and has the potential to create hundreds of jobs over the next year, said Agriculture and Marketing Minister Guy Brown, after completing a series of meetings with agri-food businesses in the Annapolis Valley. Mr. Brown met with Stirlings to hear about their new business that was created as a result of last fall's trade delegation to the Caribbean. "I believe there is an excellent potential in the apple business particularly with government providing the leadership by way of infrastructure for such things as cold storage and development of new crops," said Mr. Brown. While at a meeting with Larson Packers in Berwick, Mr. Brown congratulated the company on its recent processing plant improvements and discussed the importance of promoting Atlantic grown food. Mr. Brown completed a tour of Sarsfield Foods, where he saw great potential in the production of produce such as raspberries, pumpkins, strawberries and rhubarb. "I'd like to see our production in rhubarb exceed one million pounds in 1997, which would mean a cash crop for many farmers and the creation of jobs," said Mr. Brown. "Nova Scotians must start requesting produce that is Atlantic grown. I believe there is an opportunity to create 300-500 jobs over the next year and I encourage Nova Scotians to look at what we produce and realize the economic impact that our purchases have on the agri-food business," said Mr. Brown. -30- Contact: Guy Brown 902-424-4388 trp Mar. 13, 1997 - 1:10 p.m.