Advancing Agri-Food Processing

📋 Eligible Entities - Small to medium-sized agri-food processing businesses operating in Canada - Businesses with operations focused on processing, manufacturing, or value-adding to agricultural products - Eligible business structures typically include: - Incorporated companies - Sole proprietorships - Partnerships - Cooperatives - Farm-based processing operations - Businesses must demonstrate active involvement in agri-food processing (not primary agriculture/farming alone) ### 💰 Funding Details - Maximum Grant Amount: $50,000 per application - Cost-Sharing Requirement: Grant covers up to 50% of eligible project costs - Applicant/business must fund the remaining 50% minimum - Repayability: Non-repayable grant (contribution, not loan) - Funding Type: Direct financial assistance - Project Budget Implications: Minimum eligible project cost would be $100,000 to maximize the $50,000 grant ### 🛠️ Approved Expenses - Product Development & Innovation: - Conception of new agri-food products - Development and testing of new products - Formulation and recipe refinement - Market feasibility studies for new products - Process Efficiency & Competitiveness: - Equipment upgrades for existing production lines - Process optimization and modernization - Technology adoption to improve efficiency - Waste reduction initiatives - Quality improvement systems - Supporting Activities: - Professional consulting fees (product development, process engineering) - Testing and certification costs - Technical documentation and prototyping - Training directly tied to new/improved production ### ⚠️ Conditions & Milestones - Matching Requirement: Applicant must secure and document 50% of project costs from own resources or other non-government sources - Project Scope: Funding limited to conception, development, and efficiency improvements (not ongoing operations or working capital) - Documentation: Detailed project plan, budget breakdown, and timelines required with application - Reporting Obligations: Progress reports and milestone verification likely required throughout project execution - **Elig