2. STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
OG currently has three main strategic directions as
identified by the Goat Industry Committee:
Consumer marketing and promotions
Industry Communications
Cost of Production
Challenge for the organization has been what about
everything else? i.e. scrapie, antimicrobial
resistance and welfare
4. CONSUMER RESEARCH
Research projects are the foundation of future
promotion programs
Benchmarking consumer usage and attitudes
towards goat milk and milk products (not just
cheese) to identify challenges and opportunities
Focus groups completed; retail interviews completed
Consumer barriers are not taste or price but availability
and awareness
Ethnic meat study
Foodservice/broader public Service benchmarking
study which includes hospitals, government
cafeterias, colleges and universities
5. CONSUMER COMMUNICATIONS
Goat milking demonstrations at the RAWF
Exhibitor in the Ontario Pavilion at the Delicious
Food Show
Sampled goat cheese and distributed recipes
Promoted the show via email distribution list and
website
Partnering with DFO to develop an artisanal cheese
program for Ontario cheese
Only cow and goat; sheep is not licensed
6. COST OF PRODUCTION STUDY
Final month of the “pilot study” for on-farm data
collection
Collaboration with DFO on the development of the
COP model and data collection with 3rd party
accounting firm
Industry steering committee
Submitted funding proposal for 3 years of data
collection; expand to 20 farms; establish
benchmarking
2015-2016-2017
7. INDUSTRY COMMUNICATIONS
Participated at the Outdoor Farm Show to meet
with new producers and members
Hosted workshops with EastGen- two locations
Weekly email updates to all members with email
Website revamp www.ontariogoat.ca
OG Board updates to members & Alliance
magazine
Attend a number of meetings on your behalf
Premier’s Summit on Agri-Food, Foreign Animal
Disease, Scrapie updates, Foodland Ontario, etc.
9. HOT GOAT ISSUES TO WATCH
Animal identification and traceability
Changes coming to federal regulations 2015/2016
OG is being proactive rather than reactive
Completed two tag trials
Established a traceability committee
Lobbying for an administrator for the tags
More information at the AGM Feb. 25, 2015
10. HOT GOAT ISSUES TO WATCH
Biosecurity and On farm food safety programs
Pressure from government to implement on-farm food
safety programs in particular on the dairy goat sector
Most commodities have and implement ofn-farm food
safety programs
11. HOT GOAT ISSUES TO WATCH
Disease management, eradication protocols, testing
Production limiting; resulting in economic impact
GF2 application to develop protocols and certification
program
CAE
Working on a GF2 funding proposal that will help develop a
standardized CAE eradication protocol-customized to your
farm
Sellers to comply with CAE testing-buyer assurances
OMAFRA and U of G partner on development of project
Scrapie
Continue to work and communicate with government
12. HOT GOAT ISSUES TO WATCH
Cost of Production
Moving out of a niche market into commodity market-
volumes will drive sales; room for growth but at what price?
Disease prevention and ways to reduce cost of production
13. HOT GOAT ISSUES TO WATCH
Consumer education and promotion
Healthy choices, new markets, expansion on farm
Animal welfare perceptions and reality
Producer and consumer related issues
Are we “camera ready?”
Access to livestock medicines, extra label use,
antimicrobial resistance
Young farmer entrants, sector expansion, access to
financing
Scrapie in goats-genotype testing not herd
euthanasia
14. THANK YOU
Questions, comments, suggestions please feel free
to contact me at anytime:
Tel: 519-824-2942
Email: kkeels@livestockalliance.ca