Edition 25: March 1, 2023
Last change to register! Webinar takes place tomorrow.
This webinar is designed to:
- Ensure applicants are at or close to the shelf-ready stage in their product development
- Provide best practices for submitting the application form
- Review Sobeys Food Safety approval requirements
- Discuss the challenges and solutions for distribution to retail
Submission period opens Friday, March 3rd for Sobeys Spring Pitch! This opportunity is for FBA members exclusively.
Register Now for Hot Off the Press Canadian Food Labelling 2023 taking place March 7 & 9!
The purpose of the workshop is to expose the recent 2022 amendments to Canadian food regulations so that attendees of the training program can learn how these new rules will affect the compliance and labelling for their foods.
Please join us in welcoming our newest FBA members:
- Atlantic Poultry Incorporated
FBA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
The FBA is proud to present its members.
Family-operated, our children help in all aspects of the business. Starting with Smoked Beef Jerky in 2021, we branched out in Spices and BBQ Sauces & Marinades. After great success and positive feedback at local farm markets, we offer 9 flavours of beef jerky, 4 different sauces and 5 different spices. Stay tuned to new flavours coming out in 2023!
Visit this link for Monthly Updates from Food & Beverage Canada
CULTIVATING CONNECTIONS
will bring together NB fruit and vegetable producers and industry stakeholders.
The event will include concurrent technical training sessions, plenary sessions, social mixer and a trade show. Concurrent sessions will be devoted to apple, cranberry, wild blueberry, small fruit, vegetable, controlled environment agriculture production as well as a room for industry development.
Industry News
USDA Publishes Strengthening Organic Enforcement Final Rule
On January 18, 2023, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) announced the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule. The rule calls for strengthening enforcement of organic standards, aims to better deter and detect fraud, improve traceability from farm to market, and reduce the types of uncertified entities that operate without USDA oversight, including importers, brokers and traders.
Who is affected?
The rule may affect USDA-accredited certifying agents; organic inspectors; certified organic operations; operations considering organic certification; businesses that import or trade organic products; and retailers that sell organic products. To see if you are affected by SOE, please read the full rule available at: www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-00702/national-organic-program-strengthening-organic-enforcement
When must organic operations comply with the rule?
Organic operations, certifying agents, and other organic stakeholders affected by the rule will have one year from the effective date of the rule to comply with the changes.
Learn more about the final rule: www.ams.usda.gov/organic/SOE
Future Leaders Canada
In partnership with the National Fisheries Institute in the United States, Future Leaders Canada accepts participants working in the fish and seafood industry who are interested in gaining the skills and insider knowledge needed to become successful champions for the sector.
Please find here a link to our Future Leaders Canada career development program for the seafood sector. If you know of anyone who might be interested in participating in the 2023 class, it is not too late. We can add more before the first session in Ottawa, Apr 30-May 3.
Youth Employment and Skills Program
The YESP Program offers support for 50% of wages to a maximum of $14,000 to agriculture employers hiring Canadian youth. Employers that hire youth facing employment barriers will be eligible for 80% of the cost of salaries and benefits and may be eligible for an additional $5,000 to address specific obstacles to employment.
Applications are now open for a limited time. Employers can apply between February 27, 2023 and March 27, 2023 for their project to be considered. Applications from Indigenous applicants will be prioritized for the 2023-2024 program year. Application forms for the YESP are available through the webpage. Additional information, can be found by contacting aafc.yesp-pecj.aac@canada.ca, or calling: 1-866-452-5558.
Work Sharing from ESDC
Learn about the EI Work-Sharing Program as it may be beneficial for employers at this time.
Work-Sharing is an Employment Insurance (EI) Program that helps employers avoid layoffs during a temporary period of decreased business activity. Work-Sharing provides EI benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work with other employees. With this approach, employees continue to be paid for the reduced hours they work, while collecting EI benefits to help cover the work hours they lose.
Work-Sharing can benefit employers. By minimizing layoffs, the program allows employers to retain skilled workers and avoid additional recruitment or training costs to onboard new employees once business activity returns to normal levels.
Canada Small Business Financing Program
The Canada Small Business Financing Program makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders.
Recent changes to the program provide lenders and small businesses with additional financing products, new class of loans, increased loan amounts and terms, improved loan conditions and decreased administrative burden.
Learn more HERE.
Date: March 29, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Acadia University – The Fountain Commons, 26 Crowell Drive, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6
Hosted by Acadia University, NSCC, Springboard Atlantic, and the Valley Regional Enterprise Network, the “Towards Solutions – Data and Technologies in Agriculture” event will bring together representatives from the agricultural industry, funders, and academic researchers to help move the needle in the agricultural sector.
Event RSVP:
Food & Beverage Atlantic, 36 Albert Street, Moncton, NB E1C 1A9, Canada, (506) 857-4255