As committed in Budget 2008, the Provincial Government has officially launched the Aleutian Disease Management Program and is now accepting applications from the province�s mink industry.

"Newfoundland and Labrador mink farmers responded very favourably to our budget announcement in April and I am very pleased that the application process for funding under the Aleutian Disease Management Program is now in place," said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency. "Under this program, eligible operators can access up to $200,000 to implement biosecurity measures to manage and/or protect against Aleutian disease."

The goal of the $5.4 million program is to help the mink industry to manage and guard against Aleutian disease by improving biosecurity measures at their operations. More information on the program and additional funding details can be found at //www.nr.gov.nl.ca/agric/.

"We developed this program in close consultation with the province�s fur breeders," said Minister Dunderdale. "This program helps all our mink farms, including those already affected by the disease and those that have managed to remain Aleutian disease-free."

Earlier this week, departmental officials met with mink industry participants to explain the new program and answer any questions.

"The Department of Natural Resources has worked very hard on developing a program with us that will be effective in assisting our industry with managing/protecting against Aleutian disease," said Catherine Moores, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Fur Breeders� Association. "I am confident that we will see industry-wide participation of this program in the very near future."

The $11.2-million new investment in Budget 2008 for the agriculture and agrifoods industry brings the three-year total of new funding for this sector to in excess of $21 million. The province�s agriculture industry is valued at $500 million a year and provides direct and indirect employment for 6,200 people, mainly in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Media contact:
Tracy Barron
Director of Communications
Department of Natural Resources
709-729-5282, 690-8241
tracybarron@gov.nl.ca