U.S. marketing effort aimed at Canadian buyers, brokers

Ottawa, Ont. – A new website launched by the U.S. food and beverage alliance tasteUS!, part of the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) U.S. Embassy – Ottawa, offers Canadian consumers information about the benefits of purchasing produce imported from the U.S.

The site www.tasteus.ca is part of a new campaign focusing on buying “regionally,” which for many Canadians includes the U.S.

The site offers information on more than 40 co-operators affiliated with tasteUS!, as well as trade and consumer events, news, nutritional information and recipes. Some of the imports highlighted include fresh produce like apples, pears, peaches and tomatoes, as well as wine, beer and fruit juice, and products such as catfish and papaya that are not grown in Canada.

The website also offers the opportunity for commodity brokers and buyers to link to the USDA trade lead system and access the FAS team.

“Canada is the United States’ largest trade partner, and one of our goals is to cultivate important relationships on both sides of the border,” says Scott Reynolds, minister-counsellor for Agricultural Affairs, FAS, U.S. Department of Agriculture. “It’s important for those in the Canadian trade to understand the U.S. co-operators and for us to facilitate conversations between the two. The tasteUS! website provides us with another vital touch point.”