Pownal, PEI -
Editor's Note:
From the PEI Federation of Agriculture website:
DETAILS ON THE PURCHASE OF BEEF TO HELP SUPPORT STERLING MITCHEL ARE IN DEVELOPMENT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING SOME BEEF YOU CAN CALL THE OFFICE [(902) 368-7289] AND STAFF WILL TAKE YOUR NAME AND NUMBER AND GET BACK TO YOU ONCE DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE
A public campaign to encourage Islanders to purchase meat from a financially stricken beef farmer may be the tip of the iceberg in a grassroots project planned by the Prince Edward Island Rural Alliance.
The alliance announced a project to "Buy Sterling's Meat" to help bring attention to the plight of Village Green farmer Sterling Mitchell.
The group is hoping Islanders will purchase a 10-pound box of beef for $50 from the farmer who is under the gun with Farm Credit and will be selling 200 head over the next few weeks.
"We're positive about rural PEI,'' said Alliance member Peter Llewellyn during the announcement. "But the political attitude towards rural PEI is total apathy and that has to change."
The alliance, along with the PEI Federation of Agriculture and the Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce, have joined forces to set up websites, take calls and promote the sale of 140,000 pounds of Mitchell's beef to help him generate cash flow.
But it won't stop there. The group is already making contact with Japanese and Chinese buyers to help market Island beef and even seafood products that come from the Land of Anne.
"We can't wait for government to do it,'' said Mitchell. "Beef producers or farmers or this rural alliance, all of us need to work together so we still have farms on PEI."
The Atlantic beef plant, along with Shaw's Meats and other smaller operations, have all agreed to help with the meat preparation and distribution points will be set up where Islanders can pick up the product.
"I had one lady call from Charlottetown already wanting a box to donate to the food bank,'' said one older farmer.
The announcement was held in a closed restaurant with no fanfare, waving flags, podiums or food trays-only enthusiasm that a co-operative effort might change the tide.
"Farming and fishing are the backbone of our province and you just can't let them fail away,'' said chamber chair Blair Aitken.
While apathy from government was derided, the general sense was that farmers, fishers and primary producers must be more proactive at taking on the marketing challenge.
"I believe the residents of PEI want to support their producers and will respond to this campaign,'' said Llewellyn.
Along with Aitken, who is also in the seafood business, Llewellyn said contact would be made with buyers in Japan and China over the next few days to see if future meetings could be arranged to begin a co-operative marketing scheme to include all Island farmers and products.
Beef in Japan is $54 a pound, but quality and cut is of the utmost importance along with the image of commitment.
Ernie Mutch, president of the Federation of Agriculture, congratulated the Village Green farmer for bringing the plight - not exclusive to Mitchell - to public attention.
The stricken farmer said he didn't do it for himself, but for Island agriculture. -The Guardian
