The federal government will be providing $4.3 million to support pulse crops and help special crop farmers meet the growing demand for sustainable and high-quality plant-based protein.
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau said the announcement is a win-win situation.
“On the one hand we are expanding markets for Canadian-made protein products, and on the other hand, we are encouraging farmers to plant more pulses which are a sustainable solution to soil and crop management,” Bibeau said in a statement.
“Now more than ever, consumers around the world are demanding sustainable, nutritious sources of plant protein and the Canadian pulse and other high protein crops industries continue to lead the way.”
A news release said the investments will support international marketing activities to find foreign buyers, improve the performance of transportation networks and reduce the risks posed by international trade barriers.
“By increasing the market for Canadian-made pulse products, these investments will encourage more farmers to add the nitrogen-fixing crops into their rotations, thereby increasing residual nitrogen in the soil and reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers for subsequent annual grain crops,” the release stated.
A more than $2.3-million investment will allow Pulse Canada to continue developing its strategy to have 25 per cent of pulse production in new markets by 2025.
Pulse Canada intends to use the funding to promote the benefits of pulses and their ingredient derivatives to international food manufacturers and foodservice operations as a “sustainable, value-added, healthy ingredient across a wide range for food sectors.”
“Canada leads the world in the production and exportation of sustainable, nutritious pulses and pulse ingredients,” Pulse Canada chair Corey Loessin said in the release.
“Today’s investments from the Government of Canada in diversifying markets, exploring new uses, expanding market access and ensuring timely and predictable rail service will help the Canadian pulse industry capitalize on the increasing global demand for sustainable products while growing our economy and improving our environment.”
The release further explained that in addition to the inherent low carbon footprint of pulse-based cropping systems, pulse farmers have adopted farming practices like no-till with reduced fallowing, which sequesters large amounts of atmospheric carbon into soils and reduces carbon emissions from producing pulse crops.
An additional almost $1.5 million in funding will enhance the Ag Transport Coalition Railway Performance Measurement Program, an important asset for the grain sector, according to the federal government.
“It provides individual shippers with insight on supply chain performance and a common data platform to find transportation solutions to effectively and efficiently get their products to market.”
An extra $429,000 will help Pulse Canada assess and resolve barriers to international trade, including challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, while also creating more stability for exports.
The Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA) will receive $127,944 to advance international opportunities for the country’s pulse and special crops industry, including beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas, canary seeds, buckwheat, sunflower seeds and mustard seeds.
“CSCA will build and maintain relationships with the global pulse and special crops trade networks and develop industry-to-industry advocacy efforts to resolve market access issues,” the release added.
“Canada’s pulse and special crops sector is a diverse group of processors, exporters, ingredient companies and service providers who are focused on growing our industry here in Canada and around the world,” CSCA president Murad Al-Katib said.
Al-Katib called the federal government’s investment a welcome signal from the federal government “of the important role pulses and special crops will play in sustainably growing Canadian agricultural exports into the future.”