The Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing board is tweaking its incentives to
attract investment in niche-market chicken processing.
“Our goal is to grow alongside our current and new
entrant processors while shaping a favourable Ontario supply management policy
and operating environment that consistently delivers value-creating solutions,
and builds confidence and trust,” said Ed Benjamins, chairman of Chicken
Farmers of Ontario.
One target of the incentives is emerging “Ethno-Cultural” markets.
Another is the value-added chicken-processing
industry.
The chicken board rations supplies among processors,
but under this New Entrants program, gives startups an opportunity to acquire
chickens from quota-holding chicken board members.
The marketing board has also introduced several
programs and incentives to enable farmers without quota to grow chickens on a
relatively small scale and for specialty markets.
“The demand for premium Ontario chicken, grown by
local farmers has been experiencing robust growth over the past few years,”
said Rob Dougans, chicken board president and chief executive officer.
