Funding available through Biofuels Opportunities for Producers Initiative

This funding will continue to be delivered through the regional industry councils that administer AAFC’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program, including the Agriculture and Food Council in Alberta.

“The Agriculture and Food Council was extremely pleased with the number and calibre of proposals Albertans put forward for previous BOPI funding,” said Paul Thiel, Alberta ACAAF Chair. “We anticipate that Albertans will continue to show their forward-thinking and creativity in response to this Call for Proposals.”

The Agriculture and Food Council is now accepting new Expressions of Interest (EOI) for funding under BOPI to ensure farmers and rural communities have greater opportunities to participate in and share the benefits of the increased biofuels production.

The proposals are to fall under one of the following four key areas:

1. Hiring technical, financial, and business planning advisors to assist in developing sound, viable business proposals to create and expand biofuels production capacity involving significant (greater than one-third) ownership by agricultural producers;
2. Undertaking feasibility studies and other studies required to support business proposals;
3. Investigating the pre-commercialization of biofuels related research; or
4. Gathering information to help determine opportunities and to provide necessary input to generate industry involvement in biofuels capacity building. Initiatives should be oriented to business opportunities.

Priority will be given to supporting projects in the first two areas (i.e. business plans and feasibility studies).

The deadline for EOI submission is May 25, 2007.

For more information about BOPI, details on program and approval process, and to obtain a copy of the EOI form, please visit our website at www.agfoodcouncil.com.

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For more information, please contact:

Miriam Esquitín

Agri-Industry Development Officer, BOPI

Agriculture and Food Council

402, 1101 – 5^th Street

Tel: (866) 955-3714, ext. 227                 

Fax: (780) 955-3744

Email:    acaaf@agfoodcouncil.com