Louisiana To Get A Taste of Nova Scotia

Companies from Nova Scotia will offer their Cajun cousins a taste of the province's best when they target business ties with Louisiana's $4.5-billion food service industry later this month.

Chris d'Entremont's duties as minister of Agriculture and Fisheries will be combined with his responsibilities for Acadian Affairs and a little old-fashioned marketing know-how as he leads the Nova Scotia trade mission to Louisiana from Feb. 21 to Feb. 25.

"This is an exceptional opportunity to explore a new marketplace that has close Acadian historical and cultural ties with Nova Scotia," Mr. d'Entremont said. "This connection, and the traditional Louisiana love of great foods, makes for an interesting marketing mix for Nova Scotia's agri-food and seafood products."

Mr. d'Entremont begins the trip with Acadian-related meetings and events on Monday, Feb. 21.

The rest of the week will be spent meeting with business and government groups to discuss the trade opportunities offered by Nova Scotia's agri-food and seafood product industries. Meetings with the Lafayette Consolidated Government, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, Commissioner of Agriculture Bob Odom and Secretary of Wildlife and Fisheries Dwight Landreneau are included on the itinerary.

Mr. d'Entremont will be joined on the tour by representatives of several different agri-food and seafood companies, including: Nova Agri Inc. -- producer of blueberries and fruit; Country Harbour Sea Farms Limited -- grower and processor of cultivated mussels; Stirling Fruit Farms Ltd. -- apple producer; Han Beck Sea Products Inc. -- processor of snow crab, rock crab and lobster; Acadian Maple Products Ltd. -- maple and blueberry producer; Sambro Fisheries Ltd. -- Atlantic salmon, clam, crab, shrimp, tuna, shark and groundfish processor; Chef Stephan Inc. -- retailer of fine sea salts for home cooking enthusiasts and experienced chefs.

Louisiana has more than 4,200 food service outlets -- about three-quarters of them in New Orleans alone. Chefs in the state serve more than 11 million visitors each year.

"We look forward to making lasting trade relationships with the state of Louisiana," said Mr. d'Entremont.