Local agri-food producers to benefit from $450k in federal funding

Federal funding was announced Thursday to help activate the commercial kitchen space at the Harvest Algoma Food Resource Centre on Second Line, just one week after it was taken over by the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre and its Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) division.

The funding will offer supports for local agri-food producers and entrepreneurs, including mentorship, help with product development and the use of the Food Resource Centre’s commercial kitchen for testing and development.

The $450,000 in FedNor funding over the next three years was announced Thursday at the Food Resource Centre by MP Terry Sheehan.

Brittany Park has tapped into other RAIN funding streams when developing her business Bloom Kombucha. A nutritionist by trade, Park and her business partner have developed northern Ontario’s first kombucha distillery.

Kombucha is a tea-based fizzy fermented drink infused with flavourings that park began to brew at home about five years ago. On hand at Thursday’s announcement were samples of Bloom’s blueberry maple and lavender mint flavours.

As a nutritionist, Park often recommends probiotic foods like kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi. Bloom Kombucha is made in relatively small batches with mostly local ingredients.

“Kombucha is something I see in stores with a lot of added sugar and other ingredients I didn’t love and didn’t want to recommend to my clients, bit I knew I could make it better,” she said. “I am hoping to continue to do that, I have more ideas for more flavours and would love to get some local farms involved.”

Bloom Kombucha has benefited from previous FedNor-supported funding streams through RAIN for product testing and development, as well as getting its facility up and running.

On Saturday, Park was set up as a vendor at Soo Market, where she sold almost 80 bottles of Bloom Kombucha in less than two hours.

Through the new funding, Bloom and other agri-food entrepreneurs will be able to get additional support and also support each other, said David Thompson, director of RAIN.

“Our hope is we can see about five [businesses] per year to go through it,” said Thompson of the new funding stream’s three-year lifespan. “Once you build that community they can share resources and start doing bulk purchasing together.”

The funding will also help Harvest Algoma to purchase some new equipment and make better use of its commercial kitchen, allowing agri-food producers and entrepreneurs the ability to use it for their own products.

A ceremony was held at the Harvest Algoma Food Resource Centre on Oct. 5, bringing together many of the partners that supported the program’s new future under  RAIN's leadership after its first five years in operation under United Way of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District.

A press release from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) can be seen below:

Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers of Labour and Seniors, today announced a FedNor investment of $450,000 in the Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN), a division of the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre. The funds will help address the priorities of the Algoma district agri-food sector and promote food processing business development across Northern Ontario. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.
 
Specifically, the project will help agri-food entrepreneurs in the region by providing training, mentoring, and market development support, including trade show opportunities outside the region. It will also help support a shared commercial test kitchen in Sault Ste. Marie and support other organizations developing similar food distribution and commercial kitchen infrastructure across Northern Ontario. The project will support innovation and improvements in packaging, processing, and waste reduction, including use of up-cycled, cost-effective, and sustainable products, as well as strengthening and expanding supply chain networks. Finally, it will support the development of new growing technologies including vertical farming and hydroponics prototypes.
 
As part of the project, RAIN will collaborate with agri-food partners in Algoma district and across Northern Ontario, including the Huron North Community Economic Alliance, Algoma University, the Algoma Community Pasture, Agri Tech North, Collège Boréal, Smart Indoor Farming, and other farming and municipal organizations. In addition to strengthening food supply chains in the region, anticipated benefits of this investment include the creation of 37 jobs and maintenance of 44 more, the expansion and modernization of 20 businesses, the creation of two strategic alliances and maintenance of six more, and the acquisition of a research greenhouse.
 
Quotes
 
“Today’s investment in the Rural Agri-Innovation Network will help small businesses grow, expand their production, reach new markets, and create good paying jobs in our region. By tapping into Northern Ontario’s entrepreneurial spirit, we are supporting communities across the region. We are also supporting a stronger agri-food sector, which ultimately means cheaper food prices for all families. We have a plan to grow and economy that works for everyone in Northern Ontario.”
 The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister Responsible for FedNor
 
“Supporting farmers, producers, and agri-food entrepreneurs is important because they support communities, and we are proud to help create new opportunities for growth in Algoma district and Northern Ontario. This investment will help strengthen and expand agri-food sector supply chains, and it will also help ensure that good food is produced locally and remains available here at home.”
Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors
 
“FedNor’s support helps make it possible for us to work with farmers and communities to build a resilient agri-food sector in Algoma region and Northern Ontario. These funds will help us develop and foster local expertise and to maximize agri-food opportunities and help our region meet its great potential.”
David Thompson, Director of the Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN)
 
Quick facts

The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) works alongside collaborators to undertake research and build relationships and capacity for producers of agricultural goods in the Algoma district and across Northern Ontario. RAIN’s team is composed of specialists with backgrounds in business, agriculture, environmental science, and marketing.
The RAIN project is a division of the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to economic development and diversification in the science and technology sectors in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma region.
The investment announced today is provided through FedNor’s Regional Growth Through Innovation Fund (REGI), which supports the growth of Northern Ontario businesses, their expansion into new markets, and their adoption of new technologies and processes.