Cast your vote today! EDA requests the public’s help in naming the eat local campaign
Published on December 1, 2011
The Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta (EDA) received approximately 100 submissions for its name the campaign contest, and now the selection committee has narrowed it down to the top five. The polls are open and the EDA is requesting the public’s assistance in picking the best name for the southeast Alberta’s eat local initiative. The deadline for the community to cast their vote is December 9, 2011 at 12 pm, and the poll can be accessed through www.edalliance.ca.
The final five are: Down-home Delicious, I’m a Locavore, Localicious, Savour the Southeast and Why go there, when it’s here?
“It wasn’t an easy process for the selection committee; a lot of time was spent narrowing them down, “said Tracy Heebner, Associate Director for the EDA. “The community support and number of submissions for this campaign was astonishing. It showed that there is an interest in an eat local initiative for southeast Alberta and that the public wants to be involved in the movement. Our local media has really assisted us with getting the message out, so we of course want to thank them for that support as well.”
The next step is to create marketing materials that will launch with the campaigns own website. The EDA will also be doing onsite visits to local producers encouraging them to capitalize on the marketing opportunities associated to this project. It has been reported that there are over 100 companies in the region providing local food options. “In the last two weeks, through this campaign in particular companies such as Deerview Meats have seen increased inquiries from the media and interest from the community on eating local; now we want to do that for all the companies,” said Heebner.
The EDA hopes that once the official campaign is launched in April 2012 that the momentum will continue to increase throughout the region. As the organization is focused on Business Expansion and Retention (BR&E) as well as Investment Attraction (IA) they are optimistic that this initiative will raise awareness of: the products available; the companies successfully operating here; as well as the opportunities associated with living and doing business in southeast Alberta.
“We are already seeing the results,” said Kendra Borgen, Marketing and Communications Specialist for the EDA. “Traffic to the EDA’s site, for information on the eat local campaign, came from all across Western Canada including Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia as well as from outside countries including the United States; increasing the region’s global exposure.”
Since the campaign has begun, the EDA also has reported that numerous organizations within the region have approached them for partnerships, each bringing a different approach to the campaign. “We’ve received interest from the health sector and inquiries from individuals from the public passionate about supporting local and curious on how they can help in increasing the success of this project.”
To get involved the EDA asks that the public visits www.edalliance.ca to cast their vote as well as forwards the link on to friends and colleagues. On December 16, 2011 the EDA will announce the first and second place winners.
Funding from the EDA, Rural Community Adaptation Grant Program (RCAP) a Government of Alberta initiative as well as the Friends of EDA Agriculture made this project possible.
Friends of the EDA Agriculture sponsors include: C & H Irrigation, Meyers Norris Penny and TD Bank Group. They are year-round supporters of the organization’s agriculture specific initiatives.