Canada: Government invests C$1.95 mln in the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre

Shelly Glover, Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface and Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced on November 14 an investment of C$1,950,000 to the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) to support its market development efforts in existing and new growth markets.

With this investment, CMBTC aims to maintain and boost Canada's global competitiveness by being the focal point for technical support and market knowledge to companies involved in selling Canadian malting barley or malt to export markets. CMBTC will achieve this by providing technical training and problem-solving to stakeholders, ensuring new varieties meet international customers' needs, and providing direct sales support to international customers.

Founded in 2000, the CMBTC facilities include state-of-the art- brewing and malting equipment that allows it to duplicate any malting or brewing system in the world producing commercial quality malt and beer.

Canada's brewing industry drives C$14 billion in value-added activity and over 160,000 jobs.

Canada supplies approximately 20% of the global malting barley market and is the world's third largest exporter of malt.

This investment is being made through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriMarketing Program, a five-year, up to C$341-million program under Growing Forward 2.

19 November, 2014