Colorado is looking for agency help to plan a campaign to restore confidence in the Rocky Ford cantaloupe, which took a hit last year after 32 people across the country died from a listeria outbreak traced to a Granada, Colo., grower.
The cantaloupe variety is named after a city in the Arkansas Valley region of Colorado where it is cultivated.
The state is planning the PR push ahead of the 2012 season to burnish the image of the important crop as lingering fears over the recall are expected to have an impact. “It's going to impact. It's going to be big,” said Jim Miller, Colorado’s deputy agricultural commissioner, at a Rotary Club meeting March 29. “We're trying like mad to do what we can at the department to help those growers."
The state issued an RFP (open through April 16) for an expected seven-month contract with an advertising or PR agency to produce the campaign. Consumer communications is the primary focus.
The Rocky Ford Growers Association, which is in the formative stages, is negotiating to trademark the Rocky Ford Cantaloupe. The hired firm will report to the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s director, marketing programs & strategic initiatives.
The RFP can be downloaded at the state’s procurement website.