LONDON — Ontario corn-fed beef is so popular — the meat is stocked in 241 Loblaws grocery stores and now in 40 stores in Japan — that more animals are needed to meet demand. So, program directors are now looking to bring in cattle from other provinces.
Although the number of Ontario corn-fed cattle has risen over the years, there are times when supply is low, said the program’s executive director Jim Clark, of the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association, which has owned the Canada corn-fed beef trademark since 2002.
“There are periods of the summer months and into the fall (when) your cattle numbers drop off a little bit and you have to be able to make sure we have that constant flow,” he said.
One year ago, 40 stores in Japan began offering the beef.
In 2006, there were about 27,600 Ontario corn-fed beef animals that went through the program. That has grown steadily every year and reached 298,000 in 2014.
Clark said 75 per cent of Ontario beef producers are currently in the program, but they are looking for more beef producers.
