Tax Dollars Branding Beer

[parsley]

Government of Canada Brewing Success in International Markets

Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 19, 2010 –

Three of Canada's leading
organizations in the malting industry are working to develop a long-term
international strategy to drive the sector. To help bring that vision to
life, an investment of more than $597,000 was announced today at the
Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) by Agriculture Minister
Gerry Ritz and James Bezan, Member of Parliament (Selkirk—Interlake).

"By investing in international marketing for Canada's malting industry, our world class malting barley sector can become more competitive and prosperous," said Minister Ritz. "When government comes together with industry to work toward common goals, opportunities grow, results are achieved and farmers benefit."

"Canada's high-quality malting barley continues to supply breweries around
the world," said MP Bezan. "These kinds of investments help keep the barley industry on the leading-edge of today's marketplace."

An investment of $410,000 will be available to the CMBTC, a non-profit
malting barley research and market development facility. The Malting
Industry Association of Canada, which represents Canada's major malting
companies, will receive $155,000 and the Brewing and Malting Barley Research
Institute, which represents the interests of Canada's malting barley
research, breeding and variety sector, will receive $32,500.

The three groups will use the investment to refine and implement a strategic plan outlining their collaborative goals to enhance Canadian competitiveness in global markets. This will include the creation of a common branding
strategy to highlight Canada's unique, world class malt and malting barley
industry.

In 2009, Canadian exports of malt amounted to more than 631,000 metric
tonnes at a value of more than $444 million, while 1.6 million metric tonnes of barley were exported at a value of $441 million. These investments are provided through the AgriMarketing program, which helps producers and processors increase exports of Canada's safe, high-quality products around the world. The program helps implement long-term international strategies which include activities such as international market development, consumer awareness and branding and industry-to-industry trade advocacy.

For more information, please contact:

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972

Meagan Murdoch
Press Secretary
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059

**********

Le gouvernement du Canada concocte le succès sur les marchés internationaux

Winnipeg (Manitoba), le 19 novembre 2010 – Trois des principales
organisations de l'industrie brassicole du Canada préparent une stratégie
internationale à long terme pour dynamiser le secteur. Pour aider à
concrétiser cette vision, un investissement de plus de 597 000 $ a été
annoncé aujourd'hui au Centre technique canadien pour l'orge brassicole
(CTCOB) par le ministre de l'Agriculture, Gerry Ritz, et par James Bezan,
député (Selkirk—Interlake).

« En investissant dans la commercialisation internationale par l'industrie
brassicole du Canada, notre secteur de l'orge brassicole, de renommée
mondiale, peut devenir plus compétitif et plus prospère, a déclaré le
ministre Ritz. Lorsque le gouvernement se joint à l'industrie pour
poursuivre des buts communs, les débouchés augmentent, les résultats sont
atteints et les agriculteurs en profitent. »

« L'orge brassicole canadienne de haute qualité continue à alimenter les
brasseries du monde entier, a déclaré le député Bezan. Ce type
d'investissement aide à garder l'industrie de l'orge à l'avant-garde du
marché d'aujourd'hui. »

Un investissement de 410 000 $ sera mis à la disposition du CTCOB, une
installation sans but lucratif, vouée à la recherche sur l'orge brassicole
et au développement des marchés. L'Association de l'industrie brassicole du
Canada, qui représente les principales sociétés brassicoles du Canada,
recevra 155 000 $, et l'Institut de recherche sur l'orge de brasserie et de
maltage, qui représente les intérêts du secteur de la recherche, de la
sélection et de l'évaluation des variétés d'orge brassicole, recevra
32 500 $.

Les trois troupes utiliseront l'investissement pour perfectionner et mettre
en œuvre un plan stratégique décrivant leurs objectifs communs visant à
améliorer la compétitivité du Canada sur les marchés mondiaux. Ils créeront,
entre autres, une stratégie commune de promotion de l'image de marque pour
souligner le caractère unique de l'industrie du malt et de l'orge de maltage
du Canada, renommée mondialement.

En 2009, les exportations canadiennes de malt se sont chiffrées à plus de
631 000 $ tonnes, d'une valeur marchande de plus de 444 millions de dollars,
alors que le Canada exportait 1,6 million de tonnes d'orge d'une valeur
marchande de 441 millions de dollars.

Ces investissements sont offerts par l'intermédiaire du Programme
Agri-marketing, qui aide les producteurs et les transformateurs à augmenter
les exportations des produits sains, de première qualité du Canada vers le
reste du monde. Le programme aide à mettre en œuvre des stratégies
internationales à long terme qui englobent des activités comme le
développement de marchés internationaux, la sensibilisation des
consommateurs, la promotion de l'image et la défense des intérêts d'une
industrie à l'autre.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec :

Relations avec les médias
Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada
Ottawa (Ontario)
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972

Meagan Murdoch
Attachée de presse
Cabinet de l'honorable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059

PS Did you ever search for malt exports from Canada? Price? Destination? Quantity?

Yes, well. Pars

[bucket]

A quarter section of malt barley becomes worth a million dollars in taxes for the government. Everyone between a farmer and a bottle of beer makes a good indexed wage and profit and the government needs to send these guys more money, meanwhile malt barley producers get nothing but an incompetent CWB.

Way to go Ritz, I guess the trees are to close to see the forest.

Does anyone else get the feeling some politians use taxpayer money to ensure themselves a nice board position after politics instead of producing results they campaigned on.

Hey Ritz, where is our marketing choice?????

[parsley]

Keep paying your taxes and supplying cheap food. The 'unworking' keep streaming in like flies:

Bogus refugees target Ontario

By TOM GODFREY

TORONTO - About 440 failed refugees from the U.S. are streaming to Ontario's border crossings each month to file claims in a bid to avoid deportation, federal statistics show.

Bogus refugees from the U.S. accounted for 3,100 claimants who arrived at Pearson airport or border crossings from January to July of this year, according to immigration department figures obtained by QMI Agency.

The statistics reveal that even 300 U.S. citizens made refugee claims for asylum in Canada during that time.

Many other claims were made by citizens of visa-free European Union countries — like Hungary and Slovakia — who are flooding here to work, immigration officials said.

The statistics show that during the first seven months of 2010, some 1,500 Hungarians and 115 from the Slovak Republic filed refugee claims. Nationals from both countries do not require a visa to travel here.

Immigration officers said there are cases where claimants work illegally and collect welfare and other payments to send back home.

Most of the claimants settle in the Toronto area and receive welfare, health and other taxpayer-subsidized services.

Federal officials said there's little they can do to stop the refugee wave.

Immigration department spokesman Karen Shadd said an officer receiving a refugee claim can assess if it is eligible to be referred for a hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). It can take longer than a year for the IRB to determine whether a claimant requires protection.

Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis said "every time there is a downturn in the economy people seek a better life in Canada and other countries.

"Canada has a strong economy and is a target for people wanting to have a better life," Karygiannis said. "In Europe the economy is at an all-time low."

He said many Romas from Eastern Europe are moving here for a better life.

"We need to deal with bogus claimants quickly and in an expedited manner," Karygiannis said.

[Hopperbin]

Anyone ever thought of increasing our malt quality and quantity produced by allowing maltsters to deal direct with producers outside the CWB?