DUNMORE, ALTA. – Cypress County has secured $222,000 in funding through the Canada-Alberta Workforce Resilience Initiative to help strengthen the region's agrifood sector in response to evolving trade conditions and tariff pressures.

The project will support a comprehensive strategy focused on two key areas: assessing value-added agri-food processing opportunities and developing a workforce strategy to support future industry growth within Cypress County.

“Cypress County's agricultural sector is a cornerstone of our economy, and this funding provides an important opportunity to proactively prepare for changing market conditions,” said Mayor Dan Hamilton. “By exploring value-added processing opportunities and developing a skilled local workforce, we can help create new opportunities for producers, support business growth, and strengthen the long-term resilience of our region.”

Through the initiative, Cypress County will work with producers, industry stakeholders, educational institutions, and municipal partners to better understand the impacts of tariffs on locally grown crops and beef while identifying opportunities to keep more agricultural products within the region for processing and value-added production.

The project will include research and engagement activities to better understand the impacts of tariffs on local agricultural products while identifying opportunities for value-added processing within Cypress County. Work will include producer engagement, market analysis, evaluation of processing technologies, infrastructure assessments, and supply chain considerations to help identify practical opportunities to diversify markets, support local processing, and strengthen economic resilience.

The initiative will also focus on ensuring Cypress County has the workforce capacity needed to support future agrifood processing opportunities. This work will include a workforce needs assessment, identification of skills and training gaps, review of existing training programs, and development of a long-term workforce roadmap. The project will explore opportunities to integrate agrifood workforce development into local schools, helping build a strong local talent pipeline to support industry growth.

The project is expected to provide actionable recommendations that support industry growth, encourage local value-added processing, strengthen workforce capacity, and position Cypress County for future economic success.

Funding for this program is provided in part by the Government of Canada through the Canada-Alberta Workforce Tariff Response.

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For more information or to request an interview, contact Sean Rooney, Cypress County Communications Coordinator at sean.rooney@cypress.ab.ca or call 403-526-2888.