The Rural Voice, 2003-06, Page 24Deb Campbell, regional co-ordinator for Huron and
newest recipe brochures to a meat counter display.
Perth, adds some of the
Promoting Pork
Ontario Pork's grassroots approach to pork
promotion puts professionals and producers
in the public eye
By Keith Roulston
Sfitting in a restaurant over
morning coffee provides a taste
of the challenges faced by Deb
Campbell in her job as regional co-
ordinator for Ontario Pork in the key
counties of Huron and Perth.
As she explains her work of
helping producers get out and tell
their stories, Campbell is interrupted
by a nearby patron who comes over
to tell her what is wrong with the
pork industry, from top-down control
of contracts to overcrowding in
barns. Campbell smiles politely,
challenging the odd statement but
mostly realizing the woman's strong
opinions are not going to be instantly
changed by any arguments she can
make.
Still, the work goes on in schools,
at educational and promotional
events, at community events and at
the meat counter in local stores.
But when pork is represented at
the Zurich Bean Festival or
other public events, it's local
producers who are front and centre.
That way when someone asks about a
particular farm issue an individual
producer can say "In my barn I do
this," says Campbell, and it carries
much more weight than a general
answer from someone representing
producers.
"I organize the day," Campbell
says. "I buy the groceries. I'm happy
to do that if it allows the producers to
meet the consumers. They're busy
people. Their business is to raise
pigs. I try to make a link between
producers and consumers."
With producers being so busy,
Campbell understands they can only
handle so many events. Still, working
in the two biggest hog producing
counties in the province usually helps
provide plenty of volunteers, she
says. Both counties have promotion
and education committees that she
works with. She's says she's blessed
with two good groups of producers to
work with.
Huron's producers, for instance,
take part in the Slice of Huron event
which brings hundreds of students to
Seaforth to learn more about
agriculture. Currently they're also the
The "pigmobile" (below), built on a truckbed, allows urbanites to see pigs from farrowing sows to feeders.
20 THE RURAL VOICE