Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today to talk about an announcement I made on February 14 on behalf of our hard-working Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. I announced at the annual general meeting of the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers in Lethbridge that our government will invest $600,000 to help study the viability of using sugar beets in the production of sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals. The funds will also be used to provide business advice concerning the creation of a value chain related to the commercialization of these alternatives.
As Alberta Sugar Beet Growers President Rob Boras said, “This funding will allow us to bring leading-edge green technology and significant outside investment to Alberta”.
The Alberta Sugar Beet Growers is an important part of our area and it continues to contribute to the diversification of the local economy. I am proud of our Conservative government and its continued support for my riding in beautiful southeastern Alberta.