Acadia agri-food and beverage lab receives $916,000 boost

The provincial government is doling out $916,750 for the Acadia

Laboratory for Agri-food and Beverage.

The lab’s grand opening was hosted at Acadia University June 23.

“Our wine industry is one of the fastest growing wine industries in

Canada and is quickly becoming known for its high-quality products,” said

Agriculture Minister and Kings South MLA Keith Colwell in a recent press release.

“We want that success to continue and this lab will advance the industry’s efforts to pursue product development, innovation, and future growth. It’s all part of our commitment to creating jobs for young Nova Scotians, and opportunity for the middle class.”

The money will be used to purchase testing equipment, buy an information management software system and ensure the lab receives International Organization of Standardization (ISO) certification.

“These purchases, along with the certification, will mean that Nova Scotia wine producers will no longer have to send their samples out of province for testing,” a Department of Agriculture press release issued June 23 reads.

Both the federal and provincial governments contributed funding for the construction of the lab in 2016.

“This investment is an important example of the ongoing commitment to support economic development in our region, particularly the growth and development of the wine/grape sector,” said Ray Ivany, Acadia’s president and vice-chancellor, in a prepared statement.

“Nova Scotia wines and winemakers continue to earn worldwide accolades and Acadia is proud to be part of this story.” like us on facebook facebook.com/pages/ kingscountynews