Agriculture Minister Derrick Bragg says there is government support out there for farmers who wish to get into the use of hydroponics.

The recently-formed Canadian Hydroponics Association says there is a lack of support from government, and a lack of supplies for the industry.

Bragg, who has visited several hydroponic setups across the province, admits that they can be quite costly to get going. However, he refutes the claim that there has been little in the way of government support.

Bragg says there have been about 12 projects over the last couple of years that have received about $700,000 from the federal and provincial governments through their respective agricultural assistance programs.

He encourages anyone considering investing in hydroponics to reach out to the department as there are lots of vacant buildings that could be used for such initiatives.