Goat group ruminates on marketing board proposal

Friday, September 16, 2011

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario Goat is moving ahead with plans to develop a marketing board proposal for the industry and farmers can have their say during a series of public meetings later this month.

The four meetings are all being held from 1 to 3 p.m. Pre-registration isn’t required. They are scheduled for:

•    Sept. 26 at the Russell Curling Club, 1076 Concession St. in Russell
•    Sept 27 at the OMAFRA office, 322 Kent St. W. in Lindsay
•    Sept. 28 at the AgriPlex Building, Room 136, 353 McCarthy Rd. in Stratford
•    Sept. 29 at the Holiday Inn Express, 998029 Highway 11 in New Liskeard

Jennifer Haley, Ontario Goat executive director, says everyone is encouraged to attend whether they support the idea of a marketing board for the industry or not or they just have a lot of questions.

The meetings are part of Ontario Goat’s work to investigate the organization being recognized as an official marketing board under the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Act. “This is just one step of many,” Haley explains, adding once Ontario Goat files its information with the provincial agriculture ministry, the minister decides if there should be a producer vote to be conducted by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.

Haley expects Ontario Goat will file documents with the ministry this fall, likely in October. “We have no idea how long it takes after that because it’s out of our hands at that point,” she says. But there might be a vote in the spring of 2012.

Through industry focus groups, famers have agreed that a marketing board will give Ontario Goat the ability to address the long-term needs of the industry. A draft proposal has been developed and Ontario Goat is now working on a strategic plan that outlines specific powers and regulations for the proposed marketing board. Farmer and industry feedback is critical to make sure they support the proposed strategy.

Having a marketing board “takes the industry to that next level of being recognized as a legitimate commodity within Ontario agriculture,” Haley says.

Ontario Goat is a producer organization representing the province’s meat, milk and fibre sectors on matters, such as producer education, government lobbying, marketing and research. BF