SMART Christmas Tree Research Co-operative raising money to fund their research

The Christmas Tree Research Centre at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College is researching how to grow a balsam fir that will stay fresh for longer periods of time.

Christmas tree growers are particularly interested in balsam fir that can retain their needles for longer periods of time, so they can ship their trees to great distances.

The research program is expected to cost $6 million. Once a method or product is developed, the SMART Christmas Tree Research Co-operative intends to patent it.

$2.4 million has been already been announced from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), over 5 years, from the Atlantic Innovation Fund.

To help raise more money towards the $6 million goal, the SMART Christmas Tree Research Co-operative is selling preferred shares in their co-op. The shares are $500.

So far, selling the shares has brought in about $50,000.

Owning shares in the SMART Christmas Tree Research Co-Operative will yield dividends from the successful commercialization of any production technologies arising from the SMART Christmas Tree Research Project.

The Christmas Tree Research Centre at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College is established in partnership with NSAC, Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia (CTCNS), SMART Christmas tree Research Cooperative, Christmas tree producers of Atlantic Canada, Provincial Departments Agriculture, Natural Resources in NS, NB, NL, University of New Brunswick. This initiative is funded by Atlantic Innovation Fund, NSERC, ACAAF (AgriFutures), NB Growing Forward, CTCNS, Smart Christmas tree Research Cooperative, provincial Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Read more:
Christmas Tree Research Centre (CRC)
The Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia
Share Subscription (SMART Christmas Tree Research Cooperative Ltd.)
Funding urged for smart Christmas tree research (CBC)