The owner of MacEwen Agricentre and MacEwen Grain was certainly happy to share his enthusiasm about his new world class project:
Thank you, Terry.
And thanks to all of you for joining us today.
I'd like to start by welcoming our special guests: Jean-Marc Lalonde, MPP for the riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell; North Glengarry mayor, Grant Crack, and Maxville Ward counselor, George Currier. Gentlemen... on behalf of the entire MacEwen team, I would like to thank you for taking the time to help us mark this important day.
I’m very pleased to announce today that, on this site, MacEwen Grain Inc., will be building one of the most modern and technologically advanced feed mills in all of Canada. With help from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, this world-class facility will greatly increase the capacity and competitiveness of our current feed mill operations… and secure the long-term sustainability of our business.
Press Conference in the Maxville Office
This is good news for all of the staff that we employ. And it’s also good news for our customers. Not only will they benefit from the new mill's significant operating cost savings, the state-of-the-art facility will also greatly increase the number of ingredients we will be able to add to our custom blends. In other words, the region’s livestock producers will be able to rely on us for rations that match their farms’ individual needs more precisely than ever before.
Members of the MacEwen team before the press conference
As many of you know, the MacEwen name has been associated with the agriculture community for since 1929.
Over the years, we have undergone a number of important transformations... to the point where, today, we are one of the largest and most dynamic farm supply operations in Eastern Ontario and West Québec.
Jim MacEwen, owner
We, like the world-class farmers of Eastern Ontario that we serve, have learned that success in agriculture depends on being able to quickly adapt to change. Which is precisely why we're here today… to declare our commitment to meet the market's demand for superior livestock feed production.
In planning for this expansion, our goal was to improve efficiency, product quality and consistency while, at the same time, enhancing food safety and reducing environmental impacts.
To achieve this, the new mill will incorporate computer-controlled systems throughout the entire process, from receiving, to grinding, pelleting, and mixing, to the shipping of finished product. This will result in far more precise blending for an almost unlimited variety of ration formulations.
The automated technology will also allow us to strictly observe HACCP protocols. HACCP, which stands for “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point”, is a systematic, preventive approach to food safety. With this system, potential hazards will be monitored throughout the entire production process – rather than relying solely on the inspection of finished products.
By the time our Maxville mill is complete, we will have invested well over 10 million dollars in this project. But our family has always had a long-term focus when it comes to investing. And this new facility further builds on this proven strategy.
Naturally, this new facility will benefit our organization and our employees. But it will also have a very positive impact on the surrounding communities. For we firmly believe that Maxville will once again become an agricultural “hub”… servicing Eastern Ontario's livestock and grain producers.
Thank you for coming today and sharing this proud moment.