Alberta-Jalisco Agriculture Agreement

Agriculture Memorandum of Cooperation

On July 21, 2009, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) and the Jalisco Secretariat of Rural Development signed a five-year Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) formalizing a working relationship between Alberta’s Food Processing and Development Centre (FPDC) and Jalisco’s Centre for Added Value (CVA).

The signatories of the MOC were George Groeneveld, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Alvaro García Chávez, Jalisco Secretary of Rural Development, Mauro Jiménez Íñiguez, President of the Jalisco Agricultural Council, and Ken Gossen, Director of ARD's Food Processing Division. Fernando Antonio Guzmán Pérez Peláez, Secretary General of the State of Jalisco was an honourary witness.

The agriculture agreement is a result of two years of collaboration between the Ministry and Secretariat. Jalisco’s CVA is modeled after Alberta’s FPDC, and ARD contributed to the development of the Jalisco facility by sharing design and operational expertise based on Alberta’s experience. The MOC outlines specific areas of potential cooperation and joint projects between the two facilities.

Following the official signing ceremony, the official delegation from the State of Jalisco, led by Secretary General Guzmán, toured the FPDC and the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator, which are located in Leduc, Alberta.

Jalisco, a state in the Republic of Mexico, has shared a ‘Sister State’ relationship with Alberta for 10 years through a twinning agreement with the Provincial Government of Alberta. This agreement has helped to cultivate a cooperative relationship between the two governments, and specific areas of collaboration continue to develop across various ministry areas.

The Alberta Food Processing Development Centre and the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator

The Alberta Food Processing Development Centre (FPDC) and the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator (APBI) are facilities of the Ministry of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Their goal is to increase processing capacity in Alberta and strengthen and expand the capability of Alberta’s food processors to stay competitive and become a global leader in the value-added sector.

The FPDC, located at 6309 – 45 Street in Leduc, Alberta, facilitates industry through research, product development, evaluation, and helping businesses in the scale-up and commercialization phases. Industry can access the Centre to develop new or improved products, food production processes, and technologies.

The APBI adjoins the FPDC, and provides the infrastructure and support services for the establishment of new businesses. Services include expertise in technology, food processing, marketing and business skills critical to success when preparing to enter the agri-food market.

The FPDC and APBI features:

• 6,040 square meters of fully equipped laboratory and pilot plant space for the development and commercialization of processed food products
• a staff that includes food scientists and technologists to assist companies with product and process development
• 6,875-square meters additional space dedicated to the business incubator (four times the size of the hockey rink at Edmonton’s Rexall Place)
• 24-hour private production facilities with secured access, eight fully serviced processing suites, and shared shipping and receiving, and office space (all located in the APBI)
• one processing suite contains state-of-the-art processing technology, including:
  • Stork oven – can steam, cook or grill a range of products, from whole chickens to cordon bleu, processing 500 to 3,000 kg per hour
  • Spiral freezer – can quick freeze 1,000 kg of cooked hamburger patties in one hour

Video clips of FPDC and APBI (14 MB WMV file)

For a high-quality version of the video, please call the Ag Media Line at 780-422-1005.