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B.C. blueberry sector receives funding

August 18, 2008  By Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada


blueberry03NEWS HIGHLIGHT

B.C. blueberry sector receives funding

The Government of Canada is providing $185,000 in funding to the B.C.
Blueberry Council for three projects that will help ensure a profitable
future for British Columbia's blueberry growers.

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August 18, 2008, Surrey, B.C. – The Government of Canada is providing $185,000 in funding to the B.C. Blueberry Council for three projects that will help ensure a profitable future for British Columbia's blueberry growers.

The announcement was made August 18.

blueberry03The funding will support two research projects that will help growers prevent the introduction and spread of blueberry diseases – including bacterial blight – that damage plants and reduce productivity. They will also help develop an industry-wide approach to managing these diseases.

Funding is also being provided for the development of the B.C. Blueberry Industry Strategic Plan to set priorities and direction for B.C.’s blueberry sector.

“Without this support, many of our research projects and other initiatives would go undone,” says Will Van Baalen, executive director of the B.C. Blueberry Council. “These funds will contribute to the provision of valuable information that will help keep the blueberry industry profitable and viable now and into the future.”

The province is the second largest producer of cultivated blueberries in North America, with an estimated production of more than 33 million kilograms in 2007.


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