SHARECOST INNOVATION AWARDS ANNOUNCED By Bethany Storey, BFO Communications Coordinator
B
eef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) and members across Ontario saw another successful year
for the Sharecost Program in 2019. The program, administered by BFO, supports producer and consumer initiatives to promote and raise awareness for Ontario’s beef industry at local county and district levels. The annual Sharecost Program was well-utilized in 2019 with 38 participating counties receiving nearly $120,000 for county-led programs. Each year, counties and districts dedicate time, effort and commitment to support local initiatives and programs that promote beef and raise awareness of the beef industry in their areas. In November 2019, final applications were submitted for projects, including invoices and record of payment for each activity. In return, BFO provides a cost-share of 80 per cent, up to a maximum of $2,500 for consumer initiatives and $2,500 for producer initiatives, with a total maximum return of $5,000 per county/district association. In 2019, qualifying producer applications ranged from educational workshops to bus trips, while consumer activities included involvement at fairs, local beef promotion and community sponsorship. As an additional component of the BFO Sharecost Program, county and district associations were encouraged to submit their projects for the BFO Sharecost Innovation Award. Local associations submitted applications for either the consumer or producer project that the county or district was especially proud of. The annual awards are presented based on leadership, innovation, creativity and success of execution. BFO was pleased with the exceptional entries received for 2019 initiatives and congratulate all those that took the time to get involved in their local community, dedicating their time to these projects and working to promote Ontario’s beef industry. The first-place winner is awarded $500, while second place receives $250 and third place receives $100.
Sharecost Innovation Award Winners In 2019, BFO was pleased to receive four innovative entries.
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1st Place – Building Up Beef! In 2019, Bruce County Beef Farmers (BCBF) refreshed billboards advertising the BCBF and the iconic ‘Big Bruce’. These signs were originally erected
in 2008 in conjunction with the International Plowing Match that was hosted in Bruce County that year. Through the project, BCBF aimed to update the billboards with current graphics and messaging to promote the purchase of local beef and encourage people to choose beef more often for meals. Three signs have already been updated, with three more in the works for 2020. Watch for these signs as you travel through Bruce County.
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2nd Place – Innovative Influencers Last year, members of the Ottawa Beef Farmers (OBF) leveraged social media to spread awareness and promote excitement of Ontario beef.
The group promoted the OBF Facebook page by hosting three Facebook barbecue beef giveaways. These giveaways promoted
Congratulations to our 2019 winners: Bruce County Beef Farmers,
local beef farmers, engaged consumers and sparked interest with
Ottawa Beef Farmers and Lambton County Cattlemen’s Association.
online visitors to learn more about the Ontario beef industry. The
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