Another year has come and gone and the one thing that can be said with absolute assurance is that Ontario Corn-Fed Beef is still one of the best kept secrets in the province – but not for long. The program, run by the Ontario Cattle Feeder’s Association, is on the verge of breaking through to mainstream from its current niche position and that is because of the belief that our membership has placed in it and the way we’ve operated the program.

As indicated in a letter to all packers and affiliated members in December, we, as an association, have been working very diligently to ensure that the strength of our product is not just in its quality or taste, but in the standards and guidelines put into place to ensure we have an unblemished finished product.

We, as an association and a fledgling industry, have a high standard – and even higher expectations for the brand name, Ontario Corn-Fed Beef, and we want to ensure that those standards are met by all of our partners. We, as an association, want to ensure that our standards have been thoroughly met. By helping us, you are helping yourselves to a brighter, more financially rewarding future. Which beckons the question, why should farmers get involved in the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program and what are its benefits? Straight up, the program delivers a branded beef product to the consumer, backed by a Food Safety/Quality Assurance program providing them a high quality, tender, juicy consistent product, time and time again. As many of you are aware, the program’s objectives are simple:

• To produce a more consistent beef product through genetic and nutritional programs.
• To deliver an on-farm food safety/quality assurance program to producers of finished cattle.
• To enhance consumer confidence in beef by elimination of animal by-products and feeds of questionable nature in feeding programs, becoming the meat of choice.
• To assure packers, retailers, and consumers that beef bearing this label meets stringent production protocols.
• To deliver a branded beef program that will support higher value sales for all stakeholders.
• To promote beef produced and processed in Ontario in an effort to stabilize the Ontario industry.
• To enhance the potential for the export of beef to major markets because of superior product quality and a certified on-farm food safety program.
• To secure a large market for finished Ontario cattle that are certified under the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef label.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT ALL MEAN?

We want the consumer to remember one thing: When they eat an Ontario Corn-Fed Beef product, they are getting quality, assurance, and above all, taste. This program has a great story to tell – and people, consumers, want to hear it. They want to pass it on to their friends, relations, and acquaintances. Consumers want to talk about their food in terms of taste – not how the media is bringing it to them. That’s why those involved in the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program need to talk it up. It’s what we, at the OCFA, are doing each and every day. We’re pushing the product, marketing it to new clientele, working with our packers, linking restaurant owners and businesses with them, undertaking a new business plan and structure for the program – in short, we are going to make Ontario Corn-Fed Beef as big a trademark as Nike or Foodland Ontario.

We want consumers to associate positive dining experiences with Ontario Corn-Fed Beef. We want them to know that it is not just about the taste but the realization that each Ontario Corn-Fed Beef farmer undergoes a strict quality assurance.

We want the consumer to know that every time they eat an Ontario Corn-Fed Beef product, they are getting consistency above all else; quality that is second to none; and reassurance. In a world driven by fear and uncertainty about any food safety issues, consumers will know that Ontario Corn-Fed Beef means wholesome feeding, strict farming practices, and outstanding livestock management.

We want consumers to understand that, as agriculture regroups after a series of devastating events, farmers are still committed to citizens with a healthy, nutritious, and great tasting meal that will be remembered for months and months to come. We want them to add Ontario Corn-Fed Beef – and all the natural goodness and wholesomeness that it provides their family – as a staple rather than a treat around their kitchen table.

AFFORDABLE, SAFE, AND GREAT TASTING – ISN’T THAT WHAT FOOD IS REALLY ALL ABOUT?

We, as an association and as a vital component to our industry, are working to do all of that – and more. When people hear about Ontario Corn-Fed Beef, they will know that, like a fine wine begins with only the finest of grapes; Ontario Corn-Fed Beef begins with only the best Ontario Corn-Fed cattle.

In closing, I would like to thank the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC), which administers funds received for the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program, through the Canada-Ontario Research and Development (CORD) IV program. It is because of both governments, and their agricultural ministries, that our program is able to move forward in a timely and effective manner for all concerned. We, as an industry advancing the entire livestock sector from farm to fork, are very grateful for the financial assistance provided. The Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program is a vital component to revitalizing agriculture as a whole. Our visions will be achieved through partnerships with the AAC, the federal and provincial governments, and all of our industry partners - those who believe in the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef program.