8 from Middlesex County and a board member of the OCFA for the past 12 years, he has been certified with the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program since its inception in 2001. He is also certified by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. “The OCFB program provides us with recognition around the quality of the cattle we produce,” says Conlin, a fourth-generation producer with two sons who are also involved in the family farm. “The packers recognize the consistent quality that the OCFB program provides.” He speaks glowingly of the impact of the Superior Taste Award, noting the loyalty of the Corn Fed Beef program’s customers, including tours from Japan that his family has hosted. The OCFB program affords transparency on how producers raise their cattle, which in turn has tremendous value for those customers. “We’ve had Ontario Corn Fed Beef retail customers from Japan tour our operation and later sit in our kitchen and meet with our family,” says Conlin. “They tell us how much they appreciate the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program and how their customers love the taste and consistent quality of our beef.” He encourages producers to join the OCFB program; the audit process does not require a lot of extra time or effort, and most of it is based on best practices already in place. l continued from page 6 “Distinguishing Ontario corn-fed beef as a high quality, premium product supports market retention and has helped develop new market opportunities for both our organizations,” says Dickerson. “This program is reflective of the integration, collaboration, and circularity of the Ontario agriculture sector. Grain Farmers of Ontario is just as proud to champion the merits of Ontario Corn Fed Beef as Ontario Cattle feeders are to champion the merits of Ontario corn.” CHARTER MEMBER That kind of intra-industry recognition is important, and Mike Conlin understands and appreciates all that the OCFB represents, from corn production to cattle feed to processing the finished product. A producer
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