The Rural Voice, 1994-11, Page 12Robert Mercer
A farm show with a new look
One of the most interesting things
about the new Outdoor Farm Show
held in mid-September was the
additional pressure of all divisions of
Maple Leaf Foods that related to the
farm market as well as the backing of
the Shur -Gain division as host farm.
Maple Leaf
Foods Inc. is the
leaner successor
to Canada
Packers and it has
trimmed its oper-
ations considera-
bly since the
expansion days of
the 1980s.
As the Farm
Show gathered
together the major
industries in one
location, the
corporate body of
Maple Leaf Foods
gathered together
with all their feed and farm segments in
a single display tent. (With samples!)
This is something that has not been
• 1 to 20 tonne (or
build to spec )
• 14 gauge metal
• Feed Factones
seen for as long as I can recall at
Plowing Matches or Farm Shows.
Food, feed, meats, rendering, gift
baskets and as the promotion would
say, much, much more. I was
impressed with the display, but more so
with the fact that it actually happened.
Paul Gittins, manager of Marketing
and Product Development for MLF,
said the exhibit was "very successful"
and during the course of the show over
8,000 hot dogs and wieners were served
with the donation bottles
receiving over $3,500 for
five local charities that
helped in the participation
of servicing parking, traffic
and other activities. The
basic idea behind this
corporate exhibit was to let
the Ontario farmer see what
happens to their product,
and to hear a little about
how the company markets
those products and others.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc.
is more diverse than in the
former days, and although
there was nothing from the bakery side
of the industry, Maple Leaf Meats was
well represented with the bacon
products, Shopsy with its deli products,
Fearman's Fresh Meats with their line
of pork and fresh sausage items, and
Prime Poultry.
The Partners in Progress thrust of
Maple Leaf Foods for pork and poultry
was present, along with the Shur -Gain
feed people and in one corner the
company displayed the winning posters
Maple Leaf Fo
Outdoor Farm
LIVESTOCK TRAILERS
Feed
Factones
available from
15 Tonnes to
55 Tonnes
5th Wheel
All Sizes
Many Options as
Standard Equipment
INTRODUCING
SUPER -STORE
STEEL SILOS
750 - 3600 Bu. Capacity
These Silos are assembled,
delivered & set up on site as one
complete unit!
"NO ON-SITE ASSEMBLY"
HYD. DUMP TRAILERS
10 T
•
N
• 5 ton single axle
• 10 ton double axle
8 THE RURAL VOICE
14 ft. 6 In.
BALL HITCH "Choice of Colors
Smith Steel &
Fabrication Inc.
Skilled craftsmanship assures you of a lifetime
of trouble-free continuous service.
Hwy. 23 North Atwood, Ont. 519-356-2802
ods showed off its food products at the
Show.
from the Canada Heritage program
sponsored by MLF.
Just as farmers have different profit
centers and different enterprises, so too
does the corporate body. For a farmer
with a small farm and no vice-
president, putting together a farm tour
for visitors from the city is fairly
simple. The reverse needs a lot of co-
operation and smoothing out of inter
enterprise rivalry. Maple Leaf Foods
Inc. accomplished it, and did it well.
Just like the development of the
Research Farm itself which was built
and opened when nobody else was
investing in agriculture.
The farm show itself must be
classed as a successful launch. The
management says that they had 96 per
cent of exhibitors say they would be
back again and the visitors, all termed
as good farm family visitors, felt they
had underestimated the time needed to
see the tented city, the field demonstra-
tions, and to check out the seed plots.
That one problem of catering and
food prices will be addressed next year
to speed up service, yet not detract
from the business show concept, rather
than a fall fair approach.0
Robert Mercer is editor of the Broadwater
Market Letter, a weekly commodity and policy
advisory letter from Goodwood, ON LOC MO.