The Buy PEI initiative announced last week by the provincial government has its roots in a campaign undertaken by the Prince Edward Island Federated Women’s Institute in 1994. The goal of that campaign was to promote Island products through retail outlets. A representative of Women’s Institutes is on the ministerial advisory committee of the Buy PEI initiative.
Agriculture Minister Neil LeClair paid tribute to the pioneering efforts by the Women’s Institute in highlighting local products on store shelves.
“There has been an overwhelming response to the new Buy PEI initiative on the part of farmers, fishers, consumers and all those associated with the production and marketing of local products, and part of that is due to the early efforts of the Women’s Institute members across the province,” said Mr. LeClair. “The new initiative builds on the success of the Women’s Institute in highlighting the importance of supporting Prince Edward Island products.”
Mr. LeClair said the new initiative is aimed at increasing the awareness and availability of agriculture and seafood products. The initiative supports local produce with promotion, new product development and is aimed at increasing awareness of the benefits of buying local. It is part of a $500,000 campaign announced in the last provincial budget.
Mr. LeClair said that, since the announcement was made, a number of applications for financial support have been received by the department.
“I am confident that we will begin to see some real results over the coming months,” he said. “As the previous campaign has demonstrated, Islanders and visitors will find it easier to identify and purchase the many high quality food products that are available from the province’s agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture industries.”