KODA region president, Henry Bremer, discusses with us what the “100% Canadian Milk” logo has meant to the region.
Many Canadian and British Columbian consumers are unaware of the fact that their milk and dairy products come from local, family run farms. Dairy Farmers of Canada began to encourage processors to include a ‘blue cow symbol on all locally produced dairy products to help consumers identify local products inside of their grocery stores. Nestled in the interior of British Columbia the Kamloops Okanagan Dairymen’s Association has taken the initiative to demonstrate their pride for their industry by promoting the ‘blue cow’ logo on their farms.
We sat down with Henry Bremer, President of the Kamloops Okanagan Dairymen’s Association to find out what the ‘blue cow’ logo means to his region:
Tell me a little bit about your region, what diversities do you face?
We represent about 85 dairy farms, mostly in the Armstrong, Enderby and Salmon arm area’s. This area has a number of small processing plants, which we would like to encourage, although the majority of our milk is shipped to the Fraser Valley.
What are producers in your area doing to promote the blue cow logo and why?
We have provided blue cow signs for many of our members, and many signs are up, providing a public display to connect the blue cow with our farms. Producers see the blue cow as a way to show the traveling public and local community that we are dairy farmers.
Why is it important for more producers to get involved and promote the blue cow logo?
Our industry needs to be proactive in showing we are proud of our farms, our families and the milk we produce. The blue cow signs we have provided is one way to show how we are connecting with the public.
To read more about dairy farming in BC, please click here.
