Guelph, ON (June 9, 2006) – Ontario’s Agricultural Adaptation Council recently awarded over $3 million dollars to Ontario Pork, the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency and the Ontario Veal Association for the development of a Homegrown Ontario identity.

The Homegrown Ontario project will focus on raising consumer awareness of Ontario pork, lamb and veal products through advertising, communications and public relations campaigns. In providing $3.44 million of the total project cost of $4.29 million, this three-year project represents the largest award from the Agricultural Adaptation Council’s CanAdvance program. The CanAdvance program is funded through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program.

“Increasingly, Ontario producers, processors and retailers have recognized the importance of highlighting the quality of their products,” said the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board. “Canada’s new government believes the Homegrown Ontario promotional campaign will enhance the competitiveness of the sector and create opportunities across the value chain by encouraging consumers to buy these Canadian products.”

The project’s development is based on the results of consumer research by Ipsos Reid, which revealed the opportunity to build a specific ‘Ontario’ identity for lamb, veal and pork products. The research also indicated the potential for promoting ‘locally raised and produced product’ as a point of differentiation for consumers, as well as highlighting the quality, safety and excellence of Ontario red meat products to consumers.

"This project is an excellent opportunity for lamb, veal and pork farmers to promote red meat in Ontario", says John Hemsted, Chair of the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency. "We are very excited about the prospect of working together on this initiative, and we appreciate the support of the Agricultural Adaptation Council to help us make the Homegrown Ontario program a reality."

Another benefit of this project is the enhancement of existing supply chain relationships, from the producer to the processor to the retailer, as well as helping smaller, independent producers, abattoirs and retailers remain competitive. Combined, these initiatives will help rural Ontario and its agri-food sector remain viable.

An advisory committee is being formed to provide industry input to the project’s steering committee. Media and promotional campaigns throughout the three years will help create links with consumers. Consumer research will be conducted to determine initial levels of consumer awareness, as well as to track consumer responses to the campaign. Continued testing and adjustments in the key messages, together with diverse promotional activity will be a focus throughout the project.

“This is a further indication of the sense of purpose we see coming from Ontario producers,” says Bette Jean Crews, Chair of the AAC. “More and more, we see producers and their associations, working together like this to strengthen value supply chains, enhance consumer satisfaction and, in the end, create greater opportunities through self-sufficient ventures. It’s so encouraging to see our rural economy strengthened through these kinds of projects.”

The Agricultural Adaptation Council is a non-profit, grass roots coalition of 67 agricultural, agribusiness and rural organizations dedicated to providing financial resources to help Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industry remain profitable, grow and maintain its economic strength. The AAC receives the funding for the CanAdvance program through Ontario’s share of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s $243 million Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program.

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For more information:

Nadine Buitenhuis
Communications Manager
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Ph: 519-822-7554
E-mail: nbuitenhuis@adaptcouncil.org
Website: www.adaptcouncil.org

Lilian Schaer
Manager, Communications
Ontario Pork
655 Southgate Drive
Guelph ON N1G 5G6 Canada
T: 519-767-4600 F: 519-829-1769
www.ontariopork.on.ca