The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour:

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise in this Honourable House today to acknowledge a significant milestone in our government’s efforts through The Way Forward to grow the province’s agriculture industry.

With an investment of $1.4 million over two years through the Labour Market Development Agreement, College of the North Atlantic is introducing a new Agriculture Technician program at its Corner Brook campus.

Students will learn soil fundamentals, agriculture safety, livestock genetics, nutrient management, and more. The program also includes a business component with training in agriculture sales and marketing and land use.

The Agriculture Technician program will enable graduates to take advantage of exciting opportunities in the growing agriculture industry here at home. Building a sustainable economy is a top priority, and one of the key requirements to achieve this goal is maintaining a highly skilled workforce – one that can maximize every opportunity.

With the program being offered at CNA’s Corner Brook campus, it will benefit from proximity and access to Government’s experimental farm located at Pynn’s Brook. Additionally, the program will include a field camp component which will be based at Government’s significantly enhanced Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development in Wooddale. The Wooddale facility will provide a great opportunity for students to apply their skills in a hands-on setting.

I look forward to continuing to work closely with College of the North Atlantic and industry to support growth in priority sectors identified by the Cabinet Committee on Jobs, including agriculture, technology, forestry, mining, and aquaculture.

I ask my Honourable colleagues to join me in commending the hard work of industry associations, employers, community organizations, and College of the North Atlantic in encouraging the growth of agriculture throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.