TCI Shares Marketing Plan with Harvest Select Leadership

Atmore, Ala. — The Catfish Institute recently shared its 2010 marketing plan with more than 20 management representatives from Harvest Select's processing, farming and shipping operations in Alabama and Arkansas.

Representative Greg Ward, chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the Mississippi House of Representatives, and TCI president Roger Barlow (right) discuss revisions to the state's country of origin labeling law for catfish served in restaurants.

Jeremy Robbins of The Ramey Agency speaks to the leadership of Harvest Select at a management retreat held at Wind Creek Casino & Hotel in Atmore, Ala., on Friday, January 15, 2010.

Jeremy Robbins, TCI's account executive at The Ramey Agency, spoke about the results of a series of strategic planning meetings held in October and November of 2009, along with an overview of TCI's advertising and public relations plan for the year.

The hour-long presentation touched on plans for consumer advertising in print, radio and television, along with event marketing, public relations, Delacata product promotion, lobbying efforts for Country of Origin Labeling legislation in Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia, and continued marketing efforts to promote U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish in Canada.

In addition, new TCI programs were presented, such as a "Secret Shopper" program to increase overall product quality and competitiveness, plans to stimulate retail sales through existing processor relationships, research to create marketing messages for the Hispanic community, and additional product development work to create a "heat and eat" product for retail markets.

"Speaking to industry groups like this is a great way to share the work of The Catfish Institute," said Robbins.  "There are so many people that play a role in the success of this industry, and we always want to take advantage of opportunities to share what we're doing.  Even more important, perhaps, is the opportunity to gather their feedback and input."

Update: Following a unanimous committee vote to eliminate the law's repealer, the full House of Representatives also voted unanimously to approve the bill, which would permanently set the labeling legislation into Mississippi law.

The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the Mississippi Senate before it can be sent to Gov. Barbour's desk for his signature.