Product Development Program (PDP)

About the Program

The Product Development Program (PDP) aims to foster growth and innovation in the agriculture/food processing sector by supporting strategic initiatives. Through financial assistance, the program seeks to catalyze the development of novel value-added products and processes that will significantly enhance the value of Canadian agricultural products in Saskatchewan.

Approved projects under this program will play a pivotal role in bolstering provincial value-added revenues and promoting thriving businesses, thereby driving sustainable economic growth and reinforcing the province’s leadership position in the global market of value-added products.

The core objectives of the program are as follows:

• Increase Value-Added Revenues: The program aims to boost the overall revenue generated from value-added agricultural products by encouraging projects that add substantial value throughout the production and processing chain.
• Enhance Value-Added Processing of Canadian Agriculture Products: Through targeted funding, the program seeks to foster advancements in value-added processing techniques and technologies, enabling agricultural products to attain higher market value and competitiveness.
• Foster the Development of New Value-Added Products, Prototypes, and Processes: The program is dedicated to supporting research and development efforts that lead to the creation of innovative value-added products, prototypes, and processes, ensuring that Saskatchewan remains at the forefront of agricultural innovation.
• Reduce By-Product Waste: One of the program’s crucial goals is to promote sustainability and resource efficiency by supporting projects that minimize by-product waste through responsible and environmentally friendly means to eliminate or re-use by-products of a agri-food process.
• Expand and Nurture Value-Added Businesses: The program is committed to nurturing the growth of value-added businesses in Saskatchewan by providing them with the necessary financial backing to expand their operations, explore new markets, and establish themselves as key players in the global value-added product landscape.

By focusing on these key intentions, the funding program seeks to drive lasting positive impacts on the agricultural sector, fostering a vibrant and resilient ecosystem that benefits both producers and consumers while contributing to the overall prosperity of the province.

The Product Development Program is funded in part by the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:

We welcome applications from agriculture value-added processors who meet the following criteria:

• A value-added product is defined as the upgrading of a raw primary agricultural product(s), or further upgrading of a processed product or derivative (includes co-product, by-product) into a new product.
• Processors must use an identifiable portion of inputs originating from primary agricultural commodities grown or raised in Canada.
• The applicant’s operations and tax payments must be within the Province of Saskatchewan.
• The proposal/product must demonstrate substantial use of Canadian-grown agricultural products.
• Applicants must be for-profit organizations.

Eligible Activities:

The following activities are eligible for consideration if conducted at a third party facility and/or by a contracted service provider:

• Technical service costs.
• Product development and demo costs.
• Test processing costs.
• Assessment and development of process & manufacturing technology costs.
• Specification development costs.

Ineligible Activities Include But Not Limited To:

• Activities already receiving funding from other Government of Saskatchewan sources or the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agri-Marketing program.
• Training and wages/salaries for employees.
• Expenses for ongoing activities or other typical operating expenses.
• Per diems and meals domestically and internationally.
• Equipment purchases or other capital expenditures not explicitly identified as eligible.
• Administration costs and other activities not directly related specifically to the project.
• Cost of production for saleable products.
• Taxes, legal fees, and/or financing fees.
• Membership in trade organizations.

Funding Parameters:

• Approved applicants may be reimbursed up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses, to a maximum of $10,000 CAD, in a lump sum at the end of the funding agreement, upon completion of all project activities and approval of the financial report.
• Stacking with other federal or provincially funded initiatives  not permitted.