Growth in the Province’S Agriculture and Seafood Industries
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SUPPORTING GROWTH IN THE PROVINCE’S AGRICULTURE AND SEAFOOD INDUSTRIES PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 TABLE OF CONTENTS 19 21 27 31 35 SPURR ATLANTIC SEA BROOK BROTHERS CUCUMBER INC. RIDGE FARM TACKLED REACHES BRINGING REPLANTING INTERNATIONAL LOCALLY- ISSUES IN SHELVES SOURCED ORCHARDS LAMB POT THROUGH HEALTHY BERRIES RIPE FOR PIES INTO PERENNIA THE PICKING MARKET PERENNIA HELPS BRING EFFICIENCY AND GROWTH TO FOLLY RIVER FARM 45 47 49 37 43 VIVEAU’S SIMPLY DELICIOUS BEVERAGE READY TO HILL’S SPRING INTO JAMAICAN AVONDALE SKY MARKET JERK SAUCE NO SUGAR, NO WINERY FINDS A FINDS HOME PROBLEM: BLUE MOBILE SOLUTION IN SOBEYS MAKING CRICKETS INTO PET LOBSTER COOLERS FIND TO BOTTLING STORES TREATS AND SUPPLEMENTS TASTE NATURALLY WARES IN THIS ISSUE 1 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR 11 AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 3 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 23 SEAFOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 5 OUR MISSION 29 QUALITY AND FOOD SAFETY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 7 2018-19 METRICS 39 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 9 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Perennia’s audited financial statements for 2018-2019 will be available at www.perennia.ca by June 30, 2019. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR This year continued the trend of exciting and filtration line for still and sparkling that she was appointed permanent CEO interesting developments for Perennia in a number wines and ciders this year with the in March. of areas toward furthering our mission and vision. expectation to launch that service for industry by fall 2019. Finally, it is the staff with their wealth of We officially opened Bloom Labs, Nova Scotia’s only expertise and insight in a variety of fields Health Canada licensed cannabis analytical testing, at Our work managing a provincial wine that makes this valued work possible. the Perennia Food and Beverage Innovation Centre. quality standard project is leading to an On behalf of the Board, thank you to internationally-recognized wine quality everyone for the hard work you do every As always, we work collaboratively with the Nova program for wines produced with Nova day to help farmers, fishers and food Scotia departments of Agriculture, and Fisheries Scotia grapes. processors in the province. and Aquaculture and continue to be a key partner with the province in undertaking and implementing I would like to thank all of our Board development projects for the seafood sector. members, who once again showed how valuable their work is. They donated Since 2000, the grape and wine sector has grown their time and expertise to guide to more than 20 wineries and approximately 1,200 Perennia in reaching our goals. Charles Keddy acres of grapes planted. In 2018 -19 we expanded Chair, our services and team with the introduction of a While the year was filled with success, Perennia Food and Agriculture Board Wine Quality Specialist in partnership with Acadia it also marked the loss of Perennia University’s ALAB. This has been another valuable Board member Dannie Hanson, who addition to our wine team as quality is a priority, passed away in 2018. From everyone at from vine planting to production practices to the Perennia, we share our gratitude for his winemaking itself. vision and our grief with his family. It was our first full year for our still wine mobile It is my pleasure to acknowledge Lynne bottling line and we were delighted to bottle Godlien who has been leading this team 50,895 litres of wine in our inaugural year. We also for the last two years as COO and Acting received federal and provincial funding for a mobile CEO. I am pleased to share the news 1 PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT 2 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO This fiscal year was another exciting time for Perennia Our Agri-Services team excelled while implementing the The Perennia Food and Beverage Innovation Centre team was with new staff, service lines and new programs for Agriculture Production Extension Program on behalf of very busy in 2018-19 supporting clients with current products industry. Our theme this year was growth. Perennia the province. It is such an honour to lead a team that has needing technical assistance with shelf life, flavour profiles collaborated with more companies than ever to help changed over the years, and has transitioned the way we and packaging. The team also did applied research for clients, them prepare for growth and enhanced profitability. deliver the program in many ways, but that is so incredibly lobster bait projects, analytical testing and developed new Whether outgrowing home-based kitchens to focused on the needs of each farmer they interact with and products like the new Blue Lobster vodka soda with Nova growing export markets, our clients growing their sector development. Scotia Spirits. In addition, the team worked with tenants at the own businesses means they’re helping grow our Innovation Centre, and supported food processors by renting economy. Perennia having any small role to play in The same level of dedication is evident in our seafood, food equipment for them to try in their businesses as they weighed that growth is incredibly rewarding for us. safety and product development teams. This year, our food the decision to buy their own, lowering their risk in making the safety team saw all our clients we prepared for audits pass important decision of purchasing expensive equipment versus As Nova Scotia’s technical development agency with an 88 per cent or higher. We offered the leading public its return on investment. supporting the growth of the Province’s agriculture food safety training program in Atlantic Canada in partnership and seafood industries, Perennia operates in a wide with NSF International from Guelph, Ont. This is a program I want to thank all staff and our board of directors for all their variety of sectors, on a vast number of projects and we have offered for over 10 years, and we trained over 60 work this past year, and I cannot wait for another successful initiatives. In 2018-19, we worked with a diverse array agriculture and seafood-based food participants in 2018-19. fiscal term in 2019-2020. of clients, implemented development programs and The team developed some exceptional content for producers undertook applied research in key areas. and food processors including an in-depth publication on food safety considerations and best practices. This past year we secured funding and launched the Agri-Food Accelerator Program for agriculture The priority of our seafood team this year to connect producers and food and beverage businesses. In with industry on discovery trips in key fishery areas, and Lynne Godlien 2018-19 we also developed a proposal for a seafood through trade shows, workshops and meetings was a huge CEO, accelerator program to help industry access new success. They also undertook major development projects Perennia Food and Agriculture markets and develop value-added products. Our for the province in sector development, quality standards hope is that this will be approved and implemented development, technology and managed the very successful in 2019-20. Minister’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Conference in Halifax in February. 3 PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT 4 ABOUT US Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. is Nova Scotia’s technical development agency for the agriculture and seafood sectors. The program, services and projects we implement and offer support the growth of these two sectors which are key provincial economic drivers and vital to the sustainability and growth of our rural and coastal communities. OUR MISSION OUR MISSION to support the sustainability and competitiveness of Nova Scotia’s agriculture and seafood sectors 5 PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT 6 2018-19 METRICS 75+ Agriculture presentations, field days and workshops 6 40 9 Companies assisted under 4 Product and process Public food safety Perennia’s NRC-IRAP Funding Private food safety development training sessions training sessions 1,100+ projects Farm calls 3 Graduated tenants 5 10 56 30 Seafood Nutritional Fulltime tenant Food Safety Projects labelling/ spaces filled and projects regulatory serviced 64 projects Food Safety E-Learning participants All of our clients we 75+ 60 10 Agriculture-related prepared for audits passed Analytical lab projects Shelf-Life Studies projects with 88 per cent or higher 7 PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT PERENNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INC. 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT 8 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Perennia has an active board of directors, all of whom bring a wealth of business and industry experience, as well as vast experience on dozens of other business and not-for-profit boards. CHARLES KEDDY, CHAIR NOËL DESPRÉS, VICE CHAIR MILTON WOOD, TREASURER BILL HAY, BOARD MEMBER Charles Keddy is a first Noël Després is President & CEO, Milton Wood is Director of Bill Hay is Chairman of Trucorp generation farmer operating Comeau Seafoods Ltd and has over Manufacturing with Oxford Frozen Investments Limited, the company C. O. Keddy Nursery Inc and 30 years of progressive experience Foods Group. He also operates a very that owns and operates Bonté Foods Charles Keddy Farms in Kentville, with Comeau’s. productive wild blueberry farm in the Limited, a food manufacturing and Nova Scotia with his family. Oxford area. retail company in Dieppe, New Brunswick and Grinner’s Food Systems Limited in Truro. VICTOR OULTON, DON DOWNE, RÉAL SAMSON, PHD, BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER Victor Oulton is part of WG Oulton Don Downe has built a successful career Réal Samson is a past Director of We want to acknowledge the passing of one of & Sons Ltd located in Martock, as an entrepreneur, farmer and elected the Université Sainte-Anne Bachelor our board members, Dannie Hanson, who passed Hants County.