Cattlemen offer district producers a logo people can identify with

By Ken Johnston
Editor

You may have seen the slogan and its logo “Rainy River Raised” on items in some markets across the district.
Kim Jo Bliss, of the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association (RRCA), and one of the people who helped develop the logo, said, “We were looking for something to give products grown or raised by the agricultural sector an identity.”
The logo/slogan was created in 2008 when the RRCA had an intern working for them, with the help of Jeannette Cawston at Rainy River Future Development Corporation and RRCA members Amos Brielmann and Bliss. “It represents green grass, one of our biggest and best assets here,” explained Bliss. “And Rainy River raised applies to anything (agricultural) produced right here in the Rainy River District.”
To date the RRCA has put the logo/slogan on its cattle tags, reusable shopping bags, pens and hats. It has also been used by stores in Emo and Atikokan that sell locally produced meat. The farmers’s market in Fort Frances has also used it on small food box orders as well.
“It is open to anyone to use and is free of charge. All a producer needs to do is contact me,” said Bliss. She can be reached by email at kjb@tbaytel.net or phone 807-275-9706.
One of the challenges for the “brand” is that RRCA kept its meaning fairly “safe and clean.” Bliss said that larger commercial entities have shown interest in it but want more clearly defined meaning. “Is it natural? Is it organic, etc.” said Bliss.
Cattle buyers from afar who have purchased animals with the tags on them have already identified that cattle from the district are of a high quality. “We actually had a call from a feedlot looking to buy some cattle with the Rainy River Raised tags as they had done so well and he wanted more!” said Bliss.