Farm direct marketing advice

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

Staying up-to-date on the marketing regulations when trying to sell your product directly to the consumer can be tough. Thanks to six new publications released in early February, however, there are more tips on what you may need to know.
“Together, these new publications give Alberta farm direct marketers an introduction to the federal and provincial requirements that must be met when producing and marketing food products in Alberta,” said Karen Goad, farm direct marketing specialist, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Grande Prairie in a press release.
“As a producer or processor who markets food products, you need to become familiar with all the legislation that applies to your operation. The new ‘Farm Direct Marketing Know the Regulations’ collection of publications can help you get started.”
The publications include learning about general legislation, food labels, food claims, meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products, and fruits, vegetables and their products.
Under general legislation farmers are introduced to federal and provincial legislations, acts and regulations. Food safety is also discussed in this publication.
Food labels communicate to your customer what your product is and everything they need to know. In this day and age people are becoming more aware of what is going into their food and checking their labels, which is why it’s important to ensure it meets the requirements set out by the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and Regulations (FDR), the Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act and Regulations and the Canada Agricultural Products Act and Regulations.
Labels are required for all prepackaged food, with the exception of fruits and vegetables packed in a wrapper or with a confining band of less than 1/2 inch in width, or one-bite confections, like candy, which are sold separately.
The food claims publication discusses how to know, and claim, if your product is organic, gluten-free or natural. It also discusses ‘light’ claims, fat and cholesterol claims, sodium, sugar, and health claims.
The publications meat and meat products and on poultry both cover topics such as animal health, traceability and branding and sales.
They also cover slaughter and processing. All food sold in Canada must comply with the FDA and FDR. There is also the Meat Inspection Act, which regulates the import and export, along with interprovincial trade of meat products. Meat and by-products, including rendered fat and lard used, as an ingredient cannot be transported to another province without first being inspected, handled and stored within federally registered facilities.
Lastly the fruits, vegetables and products section discusses things like pest control, using pesticides, packing and processing fresh fruits and vegetables.
Each publication goes into in-depth detail with everything you need to know about producing and marketing foods from your farm.
To read more about any one, or all of, the six publications go to www.explorelocal.ca.