The BC Association of Abattoirs is receiving more than $80,000 in Buy Local funding for two projects that look to increase consumer awareness of the local, premium meat products available in British Columbia.

Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick congratulated the association today while attending the annual general meeting of the BC Association of Abattoirs in Courtenay.

The first project receiving $49,650 will promote the BC Association of Abattoirs and its new 100% BC Beef brand. When making this choice, consumers are supporting local farmers and the provincial economy while serving high-quality, 100% BC Beef that is traceable to the family ranch where it was raised. The funding will be used to showcase the association’s brand through signage, media and merchandising tools with the goal of increasing demand and sales of this tasty local product.

The other project receiving $30,550 will assist the BC Association of Abattoirs in developing a Premium BC Lamb brand. The association is working with the BC Sheep Federation on this project and to ensure Premium BC Lamb meets high-quality standards and is entirely born, raised, fed and processed in B.C.

To quickly locate where to buy 100% BC Beef or Premium BC Lamb in stores and restaurants, consumers can download the bcmeats phone app. This handy app is available for both android and iPhones: http://bcmeats.ca/phone-app/

The BC Association of Abattoirs connects partners in the value chain from producers to chefs and retailers, in order to meet the demand for quality local B.C. meats to B.C. families. The two projects are funded by the Buy Local program, which has received $6 million in B.C. government funding since 2012 to increase sales of locally grown and processed agrifood and seafood products within the province.

Building the local market for B.C. foods is a key commitment of government's Agrifoods Strategy, a component of the BC Jobs Plan, to lead the agrifoods sector growth into a $14-billion-a-year industry by 2017.

The provincial government's Buy Local program is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia. Applications are available at: http://www.iafbc.ca/

Quotes:

Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick -

“From producers to abattoirs, chefs, retailers and butcher shops − the BC Association of Abattoirs membership is varied. Collectively, they are committed to providing high-quality meat products, and this Buy Local program funding will assist them in reaching out to even more consumers throughout the province.”

BC Association of Abattoirs president Mike Noulett -

“Our premium meats come directly from our producers to B.C. families. Thanks to Buy Local funding, consumers will soon be able to trace their meat directly back to the local ranch or farm where it was raised simply by scanning the QR code on our 100% BC Beef and Premium Lamb products. You can’t get more local than that.”

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC chair Ken Bates -

“IAF has worked with the BC Association of Abattoirs on numerous projects and we are thrilled to partner with them again on their new Buy Local initiatives. Helping the BCAA to differentiate premium beef and lamb will offer consumers easier access to local products while building a sustainable meat industry for B.C. producers and processors.”

Quick Facts:

• In 2013, the B.C. cattle industry raised and marketed more than 246,000 head of cattle and calves and generated farm cash receipts of almost $208 million.
• B.C. farmers had just over $4.9 million in farm cash receipts for lamb sales in 2013.

Learn More:

B.C. Buy Local Program:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=A4C55C0B4AEE49029094AF3D060C0FE5

BC Associations of Abattoirs: http://bcmeats.ca/

Media Contacts:

Robert Boelens
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Agriculture
250 356-1674

Gillian Watt
Executive Director
BC Association of Abattoirs
250 319-2367