CNA’s Centre for Agrifood Development unveils website
6/8/2010 9:11:53 AM
College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Centre for Agrifood Development (CAD) has announced the launch of a new website which will be accompanied by a variety of marketing strategies.
The website utilizes a practical and informative approach to promote the benefits of the Centre, which range from research and development assistance to national food safety training for members of the agrifood sector.
“We realized the benefits associated with having a website and how that would translate into more effective communication with our internal and external stakeholders,” says CAD and Carbonear Campus Administrator, Gary Myrden, who notes the Centre has been very active since opening in April 2009.
“While the Centre is located at our Carbonear campus, it has been successful in assisting businesses throughout the province in analyzing and marketing innovative agrifood products. It has also attracted new business opportunities for the industry.”
Working with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, the CAD lines of business range from customized training and applied research to product development, testing and analysis. The Centre also operates a test kitchen for developing or established firms in small-scale secondary processing and added-value production for local markets.
“The initial investment allowed for plant renovations, purchases of new state-of-the-art equipment, and technology that empowered the CAD to play a key role in agrifood secondary processing research and development for many farmers in the agriculture sector of our province,” explains Myrden. “With the launch of our website and other related marketing strategies, I am sure the activity will continue to grow as we help our agriculture sector evolve.”
Robert Belbin, of Belbin’s Grocery Limited, says the services his company received regarding nutritional analysis were fast and efficient.
“We were very pleased with the Centre’s work and the overall results of what was given to us. The food technologist was readily available and willing to answer my questions regarding the results of the analyses.”
The Centre for Agrifood Development is working with the Marine Institute (MI), through its Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, to build regional capacity that can support the development of competitive and productive agrifood based companies in the province.
“CNA’s innovative approach to build a province-wide agrifood network, with industry-led regional nodes, aligned with the economic development mandates of the rural secretariats, holds tremendous potential for success in the development of the province’s agrifood sector,” notes Heather Manuel, Director of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development at the Fisheries and Marine Institute.
To view the Centre’s website and learn more about what it has to offer, go to www.cna.nl.ca/agrifood.
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Media Contact:
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca