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last update:Jun 17, 2008
Canada: gov. $1.4m to assist Pork Industry
The Government of Canada is making sure Canadian
families can identify Canadian pork products on grocery store shelves. Gary
Schellenberger, Member of Parliament for Perth-Wellington, made the announcement
today on behalf of the Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry
Ritz.
"The Government of Canada is working hard to promote
Canadian pork both at home and abroad," said Mr. Schellenberger. "This project
will provide Canadian families with the information they want to choose
home-grown Canadian pork."
Consumer AwarenessProvincial pork organizations will work
together to create a consumer awareness program encouraging Canadians to support
domestic pork farmers and the Canadian economy by buying Canadian pork. This is
another example of Government working shoulder to shoulder with the livestock
industry to deal with current market challenges.
The voluntary program
will be available to all retailers and processors, but will primarily be
targeted to larger retailers whose pork supply comes from across
Canada.
"Consumers deserve choice," said Curtiss Littlejohn, Chair of
Ontario Pork. "This new voluntary program gives pork consumers the opportunity
to choose Canadian. Up until now, consumers didn't know if the fresh pork they
selected from the meat case was Canadian."
Fedeeral
contribution
The federal contribution of
$1,387,810 for this project is being provided through Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food program, which, in
Ontario, is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council.
"This
initiative has the potential to assist every pork producer in Canada by creating
more demand for Canadian pork," says Kim Turnbull, Agricultural Adaptation
Council Chair. "This project provides long-term benefits for both Canadian pork
producers, Canadian consumers and the Canadian economy."
To help
Canadians better understand the Canadian content listed on food labels, earlier
this year Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the Canadian Food Labelling
Initiative to more clearly define "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" on
food products.
Related Website
•
Ontario Pork
•
Agricultural Adaptation Council
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