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Statement from the
Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association and the Ontario
Cattlemen’s Association
In 2002, the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA)
undertook a restructuring process, during which there
was widespread consultation around the province to
capture input from all interested producers. Since that
time, OCA and the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association (OCFA)
have continued to cooperate and have worked hard to
build trust, and provide a unified voice for cattle
producers in Ontario.
With this in mind, the Directors of the OCFA and OCA
are pleased to announce that they have agreed that the
OCFA will step back from addressing policy issues and
government relations issues for the industry in Ontario.
The OCFA will focus their time and efforts on promotion
and development of the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program. It
is agreed that the best way to address the issues of
importance to all cattle feeders is to raise these
issues through the OCA Feedlot Committee, to be dealt
with ultimately by the OCA Board. The OCA will be the
voice for the industry in Ontario on policy and
government relations issues.
It is our belief that this clear annunciation of our
respective roles will provide enhanced representation
for our beef producers, and will contribute to
betterment of the industry in the future. The mandate of
the OCFA as an organization is to "Improve and
Maintain a More Viable Beef Industry in Ontario."
The OCFA, which has a number of members, both large
and small, is the purveyor of the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef
program. This brand is Ontario’s premier beef brand, and
is proudly local by its very nature. The OCFA was formed
in 1998 by a group of feedlot operators committed to
reclaiming and increasing market share for beef in
Ontario. In an effort to market towards increasing that
local share, after more than 15 years of steadily
declining beef sales in Ontario, the association
launched the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program. By expanding
the market presence of this brand, Ontario Corn-Fed Beef
has been positioned as a premier Ontario brand of beef.
Ontario Corn Fed Beef provides consumers with a clearly
local choice as a beef brand - which is known to be
consistently premium in quality.
The Ontario Corn-Fed Beef Program wants to partner
with all stakeholders to grow the sales of beef in this
province. The Ontario Corn-Fed Beef Program is committed
to developing successful programs within its brand to
achieve their goals.
These goals are dedicated to engaging the consumer
and fostering a new era of cooperation from farm to
fork.
Bob Brander
Gord Hardy
OCFA President
OCA President |
