Heather Latter
Donations to support the Rainy River District Regional Abattoir Inc.’s efforts to enhance the “local food” initiative are trickling in.
Earlier this week, the campaign had reached more than $6,200 of its $50,000 goal.
Local farmer and RRDRAI board member Kim Jo Bliss said the funds are earmarked for creating a marketing and distribution network that has a co-ordinator.
The board turned to “crowdfunding” (the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet) as a way to raise the money needed to hire a local food hub co-ordinator.
“Donations have still been coming in,” Bliss noted, saying a significant donation has been made every couple of days.
“It’s coming along.
“Every little bit helps,” she stressed. “We’re still promoting it.”
Bliss, who is featured in the video posted on the group’s crowdfunding webpage, explained the RRDRAI is a non-profit, community-based organization employing six people and overseen by a volunteer board of directors.
It began operations in Emo back in 2010.
“We have continued to look to the future,” said Bliss, noting their mandate has been to stimulate economic growth and development in the local agriculture community.
“This organization is an integral part of the ‘local food’ landscape and provides an essential service to its members on a fee-for-service basis,” she explained.
But Bliss conceded they need to have more cattle going through the abattoir.
“In the big picture, we’re not just talking about the abattoir, we’re talking about ‘local food,’” she remarked.
She added they’re not limited to this co-ordinator just selling meat.
“We’re talking ‘local food,’” she reiterated. “Could we get vegetables up to the far north with some meat?
“We’re not excluding any of the products that we can grow in the district.”
Bliss said the board temporarily hired Jennifer MacDonald of New Brunswick, with some short-term funding, to work on the Local Food Fund Project.
She noted MacDonald has been doing a great job, but will be finishing up here in mid-December.
“If we could be nearing our goal by then, it would be really big,” stressed Bliss, noting they would be able to hire someone to continue on with the work.
Bliss added she’s hoping to spend a little bit more time talking to people about the “local food” initiative.
“It is a hard time to talk to people about donating when it is the Christmas season,” she admitted.
“But we seem to have the interest out there—we just need people to follow through,” she reasoned, adding she’s pleased with how the crowdfunding is going so far.
“It’s still good to get out and talk about it, and for people to think about where their food is coming from,” Bliss said.
As such, the board would like to have “local food” in area grocery stores, added Bliss.
“It would be good if you could go to the store and make a decision if you want to buy Rainy River meat or not,” she remarked.
“And that’s something that we identified this project would help with.
“If we could sell more meat, then we’d be killing more animals,” she reasoned. “But it’s really not just about the abattoir.”
Bliss said it’s a tough time of year for the abattoir.
“They are certainly busy but it’s year-end, so there is a lot of stuff due,” she noted, though adding there are some positive things happening at the abattoir.
“Last week they killed some turkey and poultry from Kenora,” said Bliss.
“I really do believe our business is growing, it’s just our bills are, too,” she remarked.
Bliss said she’s really counting on the community to get them past this hurdle.
“Please support our abattoir in this project and help us to make a regional food hub a reality,” she urged.
“I do honestly think we have a good project, and I hope this is what is going to make us keep going forward.”
To view the video and/or make a donation, visit www.gofundme.com/rrabattoir
