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Ag Canada invests in wine grape research

July 8, 2016  By Press release



July 8, 2016, Kentville, NS – The federal government recently announced $400,000 in funding to support a wine grape research program at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Kentville Research and Development Centre.

The program will help Nova Scotia’s wine industry grow with new information about varieties, growing techniques, and processing that will help grape growers and wineries take full advantage of the region’s unique microclimates and land.

“Nova Scotia is quickly establishing an international reputation for wines, as are many regions across Canada,” said Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This research will identify new opportunities for growth and increase demand for Nova Scotian and Canadian wines.”

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Three new federal scientists will be hired to complement existing research at the centre as part of a program that will include a two-acre vineyard to evaluate grape varieties.

Kentville researchers will collaborate with the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Department at Brock University, and will work closely with the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, the Grape Growers of Nova Scotia, and the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and local academic institutions to share best practices in the grape wine industry.

Scientists will work directly with grape growers and vintners to map every vineyard in Nova Scotia and record the unique characteristics of the province’s microclimates and terroirs and the production and management practices at each location.


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