Gary Stordy highlights success of Canadian pork labelling schemes
By Nicholas Van Allen
Gary Stordy, manager of public relations with the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), discussed opportunities for Atlantic pork producers to grow their markets at the Pork Nova Scotia’s annual general meeting on June 22.
Stordy focused on CPC’s success with Canadian pork labelling schemes in overseas markets, such as Japan, China and South Korea.
With CETA (Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) coming into effect soon, eastern pork producers might think about how pork produced here might be similarly marketed in the European Union (EU).
Gary Stordy, manager, public relations, Canadian Pork Council, speaks to Nova Scotia producers at the Pork Nova Scotia AGM in Berwick, Nova Scotia.
Canadian producers can focus on marketing premium, high-value pork to consumers as a means to compete with larger producers, Stordy said.
“We leave the United States to do protein … we’re trying to combat that in a different way … we think we can fill a niche,” he said.
The pork industry has parallels with other international trade systems. France, for example, is both a massive producer of wine but still imports wine from other countries (including Canada), Stordy said.
Pork producers, he said, might think the same way. So while EU, Asian, and possibly even U.S. markets produce their own pork, they might also import a high-value Canadian product if it is branded correctly and marketed well.