“This project is sure to bring major exposure to our community at a critical time,” said Justin Bromberg, chief of staff and communications manager for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR), during a presentation at the August 27 council session.

Bromberg explained that he received a call “out of the blue” from Bell Media officials about the company’s Fields to Forks project, which promotes Eastern Ontario’s agriculture sector. The multiple goals of the project include highlighting farming trends, educating the general public about the agrifood industry, explain how farmers make “a positive impact” on business and the environment, and also focus attention on various “farm culture” events and projects.

“Agriculture is a major contributor to Eastern Ontario’s economy, and its culture,” stated a Bell Media brief on the Fields to Forks project. “We wanted to shine a brighter light on this tremendously important sector and the people who make it come alive.”

Bell Media, which owns CTV, will run 30 radio ads, 60 television story briefs, several digital ads, and a weekly news editorial on the Fields to Forks project through CTV Ottawa, starting August 27. The video story clips will be available at www.fieldstoforks.ca. The ads, stories, and editorial content are in English.

Exploring Prescott-Russell

Bromberg noted that the Fields to Forks project has been very successful in western Ontario and in Atlantic Canada. Tourisme Prescott-Russell Tourism (TPRT) supports the project as “a golden opportunity” to promote regional farm products and also highlight Prescott-Russell’s growing agrotourism sector. Ottawa residents who are homebound because of the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to consider making exploring Eastern Ontario part of their travel plans this year.

“It was a perfect opportunity,” said Bromberg, “to make the people in Ottawa realize what Eastern Ontario had to offer.”

During the past few weeks, CTV camera crews toured around the Prescott-Russell, filming scenery, and doing interviews with several local business operators. The Eastern Ontario Fields to Forks project features vignettes on nine local and regional subjects, including: Garden Path Homemade Soap, the Vankleek Hill Farmers Market, Vergers Villeneuve and Blueberry Farm, Ferme Avicole Laviolette, Ferme L’Artisan Farm, Vignoble Vankleek Hill Vineyard, Beau’s All-Natural Brewing, Vert Fourchettes, and the Popsilos rural art project.

Council applauded the efforts of Bromberg, representing the UCPR, and the TPRT to work with Bell Media to make Fields to Forks: Prescott-Russell a reality.

“We know that Ottawa is a very large market,” said UCPR Warden Pierre Leroux, adding that the project is “a real opportunity” to bring in new tourism revenue for the region.