Please note: this is an old article
It was published in May 2013, so the information may be out-of-date.
Hundreds of people including fruit growers, SPC Ardmona employees and concerned citizens joined together at the Shepparton Showgrounds today to show their support for the local fruit growing and packaging industry.
The rally was organised by local grower Teena Knight, and SPC Ardmona employee Lee Luvara. With the central message of “Toss a tin in your trolley,” urging people to buy locally grown and manufactured products, they invited local community members and politicians, including visiting Senator Bob Katter, to speak to support the cause.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Jenny Houlihan congratulated the organisers, praising the community spirit behind the rally. She urged everyone to do what they could to support SPC Ardmona and the local fruit growers.
“We’ve all heard our region described as the food-bowl of Victoria,” Cr Houlihan said.
“Our fruit growers are not just vitally important to our local economy, they are part of our identity.The orchards in the region are part of our landscape, and the people who work them often have long histories in the community.”
Cr Houlihan encouraged local supermarkets to stock local products prominently, and asked shoppers to reward the stores which did so by shopping there.