32 NOVELTY sells


in 2016. Canada’s beef producers were initially shut out because the chain said the volume wasn’t available in Canada.


While certification is


important, Boon said the public also needs a better understanding of what actually takes place on farms. Chefs can be an important part of educating people about what they’re eating. “While they talk about the farmer and the rancher as the most trusted profession, they apparently don’t trust us to tell the truth about how we look after the animals,” Boon said. “It’s extremely important that we’re working with our chefs and those that are having contact with that consumer to make sure they understand the messaging they need to put forward.” BC Dairy Association general manager Jeremy Dunn echoed Boon’s comments. “We know that the public has a lot of questions about farming,” he said, encouraging chefs to ask questions and become advocates for their suppliers. “Chefs have a powerful voice.” Buyers can also relay


information back to growers, so they understand what the public wants. “Right now we have


excellent producers in BC, we have a knowledgeable consumer base. Where I see we need the most attention is in that bridge between the producer and the end-user,” said Rob Smith of Berrymobile Fruit Distribution Inc. in Vancouver. “We’ve started experimenting with bringing five or six or seven varieties of strawberry, for example, that has foot traffic of 10,000 people a day. So we’ve got real-life sampling going on … [and] we’ll relay that market intelligence back to the producer, who’s also doing R&D.” The feedback helps


growers select promising new varieties and gauge market demand.


But what happens if the consumer isn’t making the right choices, one audience member asked Smith. What if they’re opting for appearance over quality?


Smith had a surprising


answer. “When our truck showed up at a store with 10 different kinds of strawberry, the receiver at that store refused to take one of the varieties because they said, ‘That doesn’t look like a normal strawberry,’” he said. The variety, Sweet Sunrise, was darker than the others. Described by the breeders as


Beef producers need at least two years to adjust their practices to consumer preferences. LINDSAY BARTKO PHOTO


high-yielding and attractive, that’s not what the retailer thought. “They said it’s too dark, it’s


black, it doesn’t look like a strawberry,” Smith explained. “We had to phone the store and say, “This is the whole point. We’re bringing in


conical-shaped strawberries, pumpkin-shaped strawberries, orange strawberries, red strawberries, black strawberries, all different kinds of strawberries.” The end result of the trial put paid to the retailer’s


prejudice, and showed that consumers like difference. “[It] ended up selling the fastest once we did the sampling. It was the sweetest,” Smith said. “It was ugly, it was dark, it didn’t look very good, but they sold out of that strawberry.”


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JANUARY 2020 nfrom page 31


A HISTORY OF PARTNERSHIP


In 1947 Avenue Machinery was founded to bring the farmers of British Columbia the very best in farm equipment and service. In the time since, we have built relationships based on the principle of partnership. We have gained trust by working with you to spot opportunities for efficiency and profit. We’d like to share one such opportunity now;


The Massey Ferguson Dyna-VT variable transmission will let you match the speed to the job, in perfect unison. You will always have the


power you need. If you’re looking to find improved results in time and fuel savings, it may be time to consider a 6700 S series from Massey Ferguson.


ABBOTSFORD 1521 Sumas Way


1-888-283-3276


VERNON


7155 Meadowlark Road 1-800-551-6411


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