The new alliance, called Pork Marketing Canada, will develop and implement a set of joint marketing initiatives targeting consumers, retailers and food service operators on matters pertaining to pork, including food preparation, health and nutrition and related industry issues.

Pork Marketing Canada is designed to capture efficiencies and maximize both human and financial resources to achieve the consumer marketing objectives of the three organizations.

“This union came about as a realization that in today’s marketplace, the pork organizations need to combine strengths to address consumer issues, activities and relationships that are national in scope” says Roy Kruse, Director Consumer Services for Alberta Pork. “We will be able to accomplish more by working together.” Many major retailers and food service companies operate with a head office in one Canadian location and regional offices scattered throughout the country.

The provincial pork organizations have already established close working relationships on various other initiatives including animal care and environmental issues. “As the success and presence of our new alliance grows, the ultimate goal is to create one national voice for consumer services,” says Tracey Bryksa, Public Affairs and Marketing Manager for Manitoba Pork Council.

Ontario Pork’s Director of Communications and Consumer Marketing, Keith Robbins, stresses that the alliance allows each of the groups to increase the marketing and promotional returns for their producers. As this initiative is phased in over the next two years, consumers and the industry will see a strategically-driven program designed to further expand pork sales in Canada.

As part of its marketing outreach to consumers, Pork Marketing Canada has launched its website, www.putporkonyourfork.com. The site is designed to be a pork resource for consumers and will continue to evolve as the alliance grows.

About Ontario Pork Ontario Pork represents the 3,100 farmers who market hogs in the province in many areas, including hog marketing, research, government representation, environmental issues, consumer education and food quality assurance. The pork industry in Ontario accounts for 33,000 jobs, and it is estimated that total industry output from farm gate sales is worth $4.7 billion to the Ontario economy.

About Alberta Pork Alberta Pork represents 1,000 pork producers in the province. The industry produces more than 3.5 million hogs each year. The overall agriculture industry directly and indirectly generates one out of three jobs in the Province.

About Manitoba Pork Council Manitoba Pork Council represents 1,400 hog producers and works on their behalf to foster the sustainability and prosperity of the pork industry for the good of all hog farmers and all Manitobans.