This year marked the tenth anniversary of the event, held on Feb. 10, Canada’s Agriculture Day.

Farm Credit Canada CEO Justine Hendricks opened the packed conference by speaking to the need for unity in the sector.

“It’s been 10 years of working together to build a stronger industry, and we’ve been asking ourselves a really important question: how can we better feed our families, our communities? How can we better feed the world?” she said. “The theme of today’s conference is igniting the power of 10 and unleashing a new decade of action.”

Hendricks noted “2025 was a pretty unforgettable year, but sadly for all the wrong reasons.”

“[This year] is the year we must turn the page and make bold changes that respond to new global environment in which we find ourselves,” she said. “Each and every one of us in this room has a responsibility to do our unique part to drive this industry forward.”

“It’s doing it together,” Hendricks added. “That’s where we’re going to make a difference, because none of us can do it alone.”

Producer/business collaboration drives innovation

The theme of unity connected many of the day’s conversations.

In the morning’s first panel, investors and agribusiness leaders discussed the importance of collaboration for industry-wide success.

That collaboration must begin with understand the goals of four primary stakeholders in the agriculture system: farmers, tech startups, universities and nonprofits said Johnny Park, CEO of Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN), an American consortium dedicated to advancing tech adoption.

“The success of the ecosystem depends on how you align incentives for all those four stakeholders,” Park said.

Farmers often know they must adopt technology but don’t have the time or resources.

“The way we solve that is, as a nonprofit organization at WHIN, we do a very rigorous vetting process of all those technologies from around the world,” Park said. “That itself is very enticing for farmers to engage with us, because we are essentially becoming their R and D on their behalf.”

Technology companies want access to customers Park continued, “so, we enable that by having a network of farmers in our region who are incentivized to adopt their technology once they go through our vetting process.”

As for academics, Park said what they often want most is the ability to do research.

“The best way to do that is let the farmers use emerging technologies from around the world,” said Park.

This will raise problems for companies and farmers to solve with which universities can engage.

Park argued adoption, not invention, is what drives innovation. Policy should encourage farmers to take risks on tech.

“The farmer who adopts emerging technologies faster, judiciously, is going to win at the end.”

‘Unit economics’

Gustavo Bassetti, partner at investment service Just Climate, said his company often considers the whole food system when eyeing potential investments.

“We try to understand how the companies that we’re investing in are helping everyone succeed,” Bassetti said.

The firm looks at what Bassetti called “unit economics.”

“Can you do simple math and show to me this new technology or new product is going to make the farmer’s life better, and not necessarily add a line of cost that does not have a benefit?” he asked. “It sounds simple, but a lot of companies are unable to answer that question.”

Roger van Hoesel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Dutch company Ecosystem Navigators, said he has seen new technologies stagnate or fail to find adopters when farmers are not consulted and considered in the process.

“In the Netherlands, we have seen fantastic technology,” van Hoesel said. “Close to my office is this company has a completely robotized greenhouse. Not a single person in it anymore. Still, it’s not being adopted yet, and it has to do with the fact that it was developed by people who are not farmers themselves.”

Innovators need to find farmers in the community who are open to their technology and have influence in their communities, he said.

In a later panel, Ashley Nicholls, Founder of REACH Agriculture Strategies echoed the need for farmers to be active participants in partnerships.

“When we’re talking about innovation, we’re talking about collaboration and getting people involved, I think that it needs to come from both sides,” Nicholls said.

“We need to be really paying attention to boots on the ground. We can develop all the best protocols in the world, we can develop all the best financial programs, all these amazing products, but if the end user, if the producer that is in the pen, that is in the tractor, if they aren’t willing to use it … the innovation side of things just kind of falls flat.”

How collaboration can drive public trust

Lisa Bishop-Spencer, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), said collaboration can help win back public trust in the Canadian agri-food sector.

According to CCFI public sentiment research, trust in Canada’s food system has been shifting.

“For the longest time, maybe for the last nine years, farmers have been at the top in terms of trust and transparency,” said Bishop-Spencer. “This is the first year that we’ve seen scientists overcome farmers.”

She said this is a good sign, as it means those who are trusted to talk about the food system are being treated as more reliable.

“The importance of collaboration is the fact that when people don’t trust the food system, it affects the entire system,” she said. “It affects affordability, it affects food security, it affects food sovereignty and it affects innovation.”

A record low of Canadians had a positive impression of the food system in 2024. Those numbers saw a sharp turnaround in 2025, which Bishop-Spencer attributed largely to unity in the face of threats from the U.S.

“The question is, how do we leverage that and make it last? Because during crisis, we’re great and we’re well trusted, but how do we maintain that in times when we’re not in crisis?”

The next step in collaboration is to get more people talking about Canadian food. Trusted industry voices who talk about what they do can address some of the myths out there.

“It’s as simple as going on a live and just walking your barn and showing people what you do and telling the stories of who you are,” Bishop-Spencer said. “If they trust you, then they’ll trust your neighbor.”

She noted the new Canada’s Food System initiative, which she said is “aimed at elevating the food system from farming, from before farming, to all the way to retail and food service.”

Collaboration for red tape reduction

Collaboration is also integral to getting a message to the government regarding the sector’s concerns about red tape said Pierre Petelle, president and CEO of CropLife Canada.

“CropLife Canada has always been a big proponent of working in collaboration with the whole value chain, so from farmers to input providers to exporters and processors,” he said.

CropLife has over 40 member organizations, including Bayer, Nutrien and SeCan. Petelle said they have had concerns about predictability and a buildup of regulatory barriers.

Last summer, that sector sent a letter to federal leaders asking to work together on ideas “to really unleash Canadian agriculture,” Petelle said.

Petelle said this type of collaborative approach is something he expects to see CropLife members continue with.

“We know that if our members are enabled, they bring better technology that helps the farmer be more productive, that then helps the exporter export what the consumers want in other countries.”

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As the 2022 CCFI Public Trust Research Report describes, 24 per cent of survey respondents believe the food system is headed in the wrong direction, while 33 per cent believe it’s headed in a positive direction. In 2020, for comparison, those numbers were 17 and 47 per cent, respectively. 

Why it matters: Public faith in Canada’s food system, or a lack thereof, can have major policy implications for farmers and other stakeholders.

While many factors have spurred lower public confidence, the report identifies affordability and inflation fears as primary culprits. Food safety and overall health are both ranked second. Following those core issues are concerns about food and the environment.

[RELATED] Chronic labour shortages increase national food security risk: study

Food prices have long been a top concern identified in the centre’s public trust research but it has intensified over the last year. Respondents identified a range of different reasons for higher costs of living and wider fears for food affordability and security.

Overall, the 2022 survey data shows Canadians generally hold an accurate understanding about the rising cost of food.

Some 56 per cent believe food prices are increasing due to costs associated with supply chains and producing food. One in five think the increase is due to businesses wanting to increase their profits. Around one in 10 believe the increase is due to the pandemic or because of food shortages resulting from armed conflict. Others identify factors like government policies, the cost of fuel and the continued loss of farmland as reasons the food system is headed in the wrong direction.

All said, perceptions of food inflation are somewhat out-of-sync with reality. Price increases stand at 9.7 per cent, but respondents believed the true number to be 16 per cent. Many reported taking measures to reduce their food bill.

“When asked how, if at all, Canadians are adapting their behaviours in response to the rising cost of food, the most common response is eating out less, cited by over four in 10 (42 per cent),” the report said.

“About a third of Canadians are buying less food and wasting less of what they do buy (33 per cent and 35 per cent, respectively). Slightly fewer report shifts in the type of food they buy including eating less meat, buying in bulk, buying more frozen food and less nutritious options.”

The 2022 CCFI report highlights several other key areas of interest for stakeholders in the food and agriculture sector.

Plant and animal genetics

“Canadians say they are most knowledgeable about traditional animal breeding although only four in 10 feel they are at least somewhat knowledgeable on this topic,” says the report.

“There has been a slight decrease in reported knowledge about GMOs, yet this topic continues to be ranked second. Compared to last year, knowledge about gene editing in both plants and animals has increased significantly but are still the lowest rated.”
Although public impressions of breeding and editing in both plants and animals have improved “significantly,” according to the report, “Canadians are more likely to say they view gene editing (in both plants and animals) and genetically modified plants negatively than to have a positive impression.”

Labeling and product assurance

Ingredient lists, country of origin and nutritional information are the most trusted forms of on-pack communications, the report said.

“Canadians are most skeptical of claims that a food product is ‘all natural’, organic, or has no artificial ingredients…. A quarter of Canadians say they look for assurance logos when shopping; a majority of this group say they seek out the ‘non-GMO project verified’ label.”

About four in 10 say they look for the Canadian organic and quality assurance logos, as well as food that is labelled as raised without antibiotics, hormones and steroids, the report said.

“Concern about the general practice of misleading food labels or descriptions for the purposes of marketing is slightly higher than for greenwashing; just under half of Canadians are worried about these disingenuous marketing tactics.”

Media and information

“Canadians are not extremely trusting of media as a source of information about Canada’s food system,” said the report. However, this trust was found to be age related, declining in older populations.

“Gen Z Canadians (born 1997 or later) have significantly higher levels of trust for most forms of media than older groups.”
For information about food, the report said Canadians most often turn to online searches, which ranked second as most-trusted behind government websites.

“Some social media platforms – particularly Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram – are heavily utilized by Canadians when consuming food-related information, yet are not particularly trusted.”

Nationwide consistency

Despite variability between demographics and regions, survey data indicates trust in the Canadian food system in 2022 has remained steady from the previous year. About one-third maintain a very high trust level and almost two thirds indicate a moderate trust level.

A breakdown of categories reveals a more complex picture. While farmers as a whole remain the most trusted individual group (followed by scientists), trust in small, independent producers, university researchers and Canadian agriculture overall declined by several percentage points.

The 2022 report also includes general recommendations for how Canada’s agri-food sector can improve public faith in the food system.

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The conclusion comes from the latest Public Trust Research Report from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). Along with widespread feelings of information overload, the report details how the intricacies of food and farming are being overshadowed by a focus on “big picture” topics.

Why it matters: Canadians are increasingly focused on big questions about the environmental and social longevity of the food system. Contradictory information and worries about profit-driven systems are sowing confusion on who and what can be trusted. 

The report says a majority of respondents think agriculture is not headed in the right direction due to a perception that it is entirely profit driven. Canadians fear that the only priority is profit, and are frustrated by a lack of transparency, says the report.

Food affordability continues to be the most prominent issue and fear of a profit driven system is supporting these concerns.

Sustainability and environmental concerns have made the top five list of life issues for the first time since CCFI has been reporting on consumer trust. This data, says the report, demonstrates Canadians’ desire for a sustainable food system and a recognition of the influence environment has on consumers’ everyday lives.

While fewer participants listed Canada’s food system as “headed in the right direction,” the report says much of the shift resulted from a higher rate of “don’t know” responses as opposed to those solidly affirming negative feelings. 

“The sheer amount of information available at our fingertips is unfathomable, whether that be credible facts and research or complete misinformation, and Canadians struggle to decipher which is which,” said the report.

“Respondents do not feel they can confidently say that the food system is moving in the right or wrong direction because they simply don’t know what information to trust… Although there are numerous credible sources available for information about the food system, the information doesn’t appear transparent due to the vast amount of conflicting misinformation.”

The impact of the pandemic also appears to have been overstated. 

“The vast majority of respondents indicated they did not feel it was more difficult to get the food they wanted since the pandemic, with some even indicating it was easier,” the report said.

“This is a win for the food system, but it also reflects that, although the global pandemic has greatly affected each and every Canadian, public trust in the food system has not been altered.”

As in previous years, the Canadian public remains largely trusting of farmers themselves, and want to hear from farmers about a variety of subjects – how food is produced, their own food fears, “and everything in between.” 

What do people picture when they imagine a farmer? The terms “weathered,” “simple,” and “man” were among the top responses, representing commonly shared imagery. However, the data indicates respondents do not feel this is representative of the farming community today and an increase in diversity is necessary.

The 2021 report was compiled using qualitative and quantitative data (focus group and general surveys) as well as public trust research from external sources such as the Government of Saskatchewan and the B.C. Agricultural Council.

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Perhaps one of the biggest takeaways for me was how much we still need to unpack, then accept and acknowledge about ourselves, before we can critically analyze barriers and begin formulating solutions to be a more inclusive industry. 

And this is the hardest lesson for me. I like solutions. I want to jump into action. Jesse reinforced what I have also been reading in Sharon Nyangweso’s work: starting with action is setting up for failure. And more importantly, it’s setting those you wish to engage up for failure. 

Becoming inclusive takes a commitment from the top that is woven throughout an entire organization. It requires collecting and measuring data, setting targets and investing significant resources to then identify and address the barriers. 

It requires organizational transformation and transformation is not a comfortable word for an industry rooted in tradition. 

A large amount of agriculture’s traditions are based in how our place in the world came to be. Unpacking this forces us to face some difficult truths: 

• Land ownership is a privilege that was originally granted based on where we came from and the colour of our skin. 
• The system we have lived and operated in was designed by white settlers, and specifically men, to benefit other white men.
• If we want to lay blame, we can blame the system, but as one who has benefited from it, then it’s also on us to start to change it. 

I know this sounds radical to many, but it’s critically important to understand. If we want to attract and retain people from diverse backgrounds to agriculture then we have to change. 

We have to make a conscious and concerted effort to understand how our system excludes these people and work to change that. 

This will happen on two fronts, at a wider industry level and at the farm level. 

I don’t believe one can do it without the other. The value chain that supplies and processes farmers’ production is inextricably linked to the farm. The perception of farmers is the bedrock of public trust in agriculture. 

Systemic change at the farm level is fundamentally more difficult. 

Farming is rooted in land ownership. Land is a finite resource. Access to it is largely impossible except for those who already have it or have tremendous wealth. 

As a student in the Fanshawe Ag Issues class pointed out to me recently, diversifying agriculture is going to be very difficult as long as land access is the foundation of our system. 

She is right. 

It’s worth noting when you look at the innovation happening in food production and non-land based agriculture, there is far more diversity. Have the barriers of our system forced these bright minds to think outside the land to create alternative forms of agriculture? It’s worth considering. 

Embracing non-traditional forms of agriculture as a means to increase membership in commodity groups and attract new people to achieve diversity goals could still be a stretch though. 

So what can farm groups do if they are ready to embrace systemic change but have no idea where to start?

As my friend Maureen says, start where you are. 

Gather the data. Yes, it will tell you what you already know — your membership is pretty white and mostly male. But it also will give you a starting line from which you can measure and focus your efforts. And you want to focus on the minorities. 

Maybe 25 per cent of your membership is women. 

A portion of your membership identifies as LGBTQ+. 

What can you do to ensure your organization is a safe place for them to show up as themselves and be respected? 

This is not to take away from the important work to fight anti-Black and Indigenous racism. Jesse Wente reminded us each community requires specific focus and that is also work that must be done. But it’s an evolution. 

When you hone in on creating a more inclusive environment for those marginalized people within your current network, you will also uncover ways you can better engage those outside it. 

As we talk about mental health in agriculture, the most important thing you can do to support mental health is to create a culture where people feel safe and they can be their true selves. There’s an awful lot we don’t have say over when it comes to mental healthcare, but this is fully within our control.

Jennifer Christie grew up on a grain and dairy farm, worked in agriculture and is the chairperson of the Agricultural Women’s Network.

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Most Canadians are not used to worrying about access to food. Despite a few short-term impacts resulting from adjustments in the supply chains, even COVID-19 left the shelves stocked.

According to recently released research by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), “the food system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is highly praised by Canadians; nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) trust that the food system will ensure the availability of healthy food for Canadians.”

Consumers trust us, which is good news for now, but what is ahead? What will trust involve?

A trusted food supply involves three factors: availability, authenticity, and accountability.

Availability comes to the fore during pandemic

Before COVID, most would not have had “available” in this list as we simply took that for granted. Consumers have had a wakeup call on that front. Although the industry passed the test by and large, there are issues that must be dealt with.

These include labour, working conditions to ensure good human health, automation, the fragility that comes with concentrated processing (the benefit of which is efficiency), and a greater nimbleness to adjust to conditions (like packaging for eggs when pulp mills closed).

Authenticity tied to food fraud perceptions

Authenticity means the buyer gets what they are paying for. In the CCFI report, 51 per cent of respondents indicated that food fraud is a high or medium priority for them. While this is significant, it ranks twelfth in a list of possible issues. Industry has a window of opportunity, while this issue is of relatively low priority to consumers, to address to clear areas of concern.

Food fraud is real, as documented by Dr. Robert Hanner with the University of Guelph. He has seen honey diluted with corn syrup, peppercorns swapped with papaya seeds and he notes that “…there’s four times more Italian extra-virgin olive oil sold in international markets than what’s actually produced in Italy.”

A Canadian study in 2017 found concerning levels of meat products in sausages that should not have been there (for example chicken in a beef sausage). This study led to enforcement actions by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and testing in 2019 indicated that the incidence of misrepresentation in sausage meat ingredients is down.

A further concern regarding food authenticity is the stability of value-added products. I know a meat processor that built such products, only to see his market eroded when his client found someone that “does the same,” but not really, at a lower price. Industry progress is stalled when the reward for innovation is simply to have it “stolen” via food fraud.

Accountability most impacts farmers

Accountability takes the issue of a trusted food supply right down to the farm. To many farmers, the actions that need to be taken to ensure accountability seem to have no reward. The common refrain is “pay me to do it,” but the real payoff is simply keeping your market to sell into.

The definition of accountability changes over time and is quite different in sectors of agriculture. On-farm programs vary from voluntary to mandatory and from relatively limited to quite comprehensive.

For example, the proAction program in the dairy sector has multiple components that have been phased in over a number of years. The overall goal is for “Canadian dairy farmers to demonstrate responsible stewardship of their animals and the environment, sustainably producing high-quality, safe and nutritious food for consumers.”

Implementing such a program is harder in the non-supply managed sectors but there has been growing recognition of the need in all sectors.

Of the three “A’s”, accountability is the one that goes beyond the consumer. Everyone in society has a voice when it comes to the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the use of our tax dollars. Having support for research, innovation and business risk management programs is dependent upon a societal support.

The farming sector must keep the trust of society as if its future depends on it… because it does.

Mike McMorris is Chief Executive Officer of the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation and has more than 30 years’ experience in the livestock sector working for government, producers, and industry organizations. Follow LRIC on Twitter @LivestockInnov.

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In its 2020 Public Trust Research Report, Trends in Trust and the Path Forward, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity reported that 47 per cent of those surveyed said they were confident in the overall direction of the food system, a 12-point increase compared to 2019.

Why it matters: Long-term consumer trends have shown up, but the pandemic could alter some of them, with effects on farm product demand.

“I don’t have any data on this, but I would think the reason for this is because of COVID,” said John Jamieson, president and chief executive officer of CCFI. “COVID highlights, really what’s important to us and food is certainly one of the basics that we have to be thinking about.”

Market shocks from COVID-19, including the closure of restaurants and major event venues had major effects on the food supply chain.

There were some temporary shortages as food processors had to alter their production systems to meet the new reality of greater demand through grocery stores.

That resulted in some dumping of food such as vegetables and milk and there were concerns that the optics of the food being wasted would result in negative publicity for agriculture.

However, the CCFI survey shows it looks like the public appreciated the efforts of the food system, instead of being critical of it.

The response of Canada’s food system to COVID-19 was praised by consumers in the survey, with 87 per cent saying they trust the food system will ensure the availability of healthy food for Canadians.

“Certainly, there was a change and the experience of Canadians when they go to the grocery store,” Jamieson said.

“And I think the way the food system in Canada was able to pivot, adapt, and being able to maintain a food supply during COVID, I think that has warmed the hearts of Canadians and made them feel that our food system is heading in the right direction.”

With the pandemic continuing to dull economic fortunes, the CCFI said Canadians are most concerned about the cost of food: 51 per cent of Canadians said they have less money to spend on food, as a direct result of the pandemic.

Those surveyed had a list of issues that could be potential concerns, including health-care costs, the state of the economy and climate change.

Production practices continue to create questions

Overall, about two out of every three respondents said they have a positive impression of agriculture and how it’s managed in Canada. However, they remain concerned over the use of pesticides, GMOs, animal welfare and limiting food waste.

“That’s important to know when communicating to Canadians,” Jamieson said.

“(Consumers) seem to be open and receptive right now to what we’re doing. And it’s not just a one-way conversation, either. It’s looking at what Canadians want to know, and how we (can) be transparent about what we do.”

Jamieson said despite science being on the side of producers when it comes to these issues, “a lot of what we do and read is driven by emotion.

“We need to continue to talk about how we’re continuously working toward, you know, having a lower environmental footprint or, or improved animal welfare, or, whatever. And we also know from this … survey that you need to communicate your sustainability plans.”

Sustainability plans are not an option

The CCFI found that notions of sustainability in food are not a trend, but a requirement for success. Forty-five per cent of respondents said sustainability refers to food options and production practices that address climate change and have a positive impact on the environment.

“If you’re not communicating what you’re doing around sustainability… you’re really not going to be in the game,” Jamieson said. “That’s just a foundational piece of being in the food system.”

The CCFI survey showed that consumers are making choices based on packaging and sustainability, with 40 per cent of respondents saying sometimes and seven per cent saying they always seek out items with minimal impact on the environment. Forty-five per cent say they sometimes and 10 per cent say they always pick out grocery store items with less packaging.

This is the fifth year the CCFI has done research into public trust of Canadian food, with 2,903 Canadians sampled this year.

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FTFC is creating a network for the exchange of information on important food issues, from farm labour to food security with the help of partners, such as the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity.

“The disruptive consequences of COVID-19 on Canada’s food system and the inspiring resilience of farmers, farmworkers and agri-food businesses from restaurants to grocery chains struck a chord with fellow communicators,” said Mark Gregory, managing partner at Locomotion PR, one of the founding members of the group.

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The CCFI is funded by players throughout the food system from producers to retailers. It has, since its founding in 2016, focused on researching consumer attitudes toward food and farming and providing clear answers to questions from consumers that help to build public trust in the system. But creating a consumer-facing campaign is new for the organization.

Why it matters: Maintaining the trust of the public can reduce barriers to growing an economic sector like food and agriculture.

John Jamieson, president and CEO of CCFI, says that a voice was lacking for the whole sector.

“One thing we identified is that there really was no one speaking on behalf of the whole food system,” he said. On the farmer side there are organizations such as Farm & Food Care, federations of agriculture and agriculture companies, but in the broader food sector, there wasn’t one voice.

The campaign so far is based around a video and the theme It’s Good, Canada. It aims to enforce the notions that the food system is solid, and also that food producers have the backs of Canadians, especially in tough times.

COVID-19 has increased interest in the food system, with some empty shelves at times for certain foodstuffs.

The campaign wasn’t created due to COVID-19, but “in mid-March everything changed, because the food experience in the grocery store changed,” says Jamieson.

“There’s no better time to start a conversation.”

The conversation with consumers in a world of COVID-19 is the starting point, but Jamieson hopes that the relationship will grow further down the line.

Consumers are acquainted with farmers and with grocery stores, but there “are a whole lot of other pieces that make up a pretty robust system,” says Jamieson.

The first advertisement, which shows people working hard across the food system has broad messaging. It’s the introduction, says Jamieson.

Other stages of the campaign will include closer looks at the people who work in the food system. That’s where the conversation should happen.

Examples could include “the truck driver at Wallenstein Feeds delivering feed to livestock producers, or a person working in a plant in Mississauga or producing chicken in Alberta,” says Jamieson.

“We know from research that Canadians don’t have really a good understanding of the food system. The research shows people are interested. I think if we can communicate in an engaging, informative way, we can be in a better place,” says Jamieson.

Supporting public trust in agriculture is also a goal of the campaign.

Jamieson is a former deputy minister of agriculture in Prince Edward Island, where he had a mandate to grow the agriculture economy.

“The greatest hindrance wasn’t access to land or capital, but the big barrier was public trust. People in the communities had a notion of food production that was pretty outdated. If we want to move the industry forward, it’s important to have that conversation.”

Moving out of the pandemic

Agriculture’s role in the Canadian economy post-COVID-19 pandemic will be important, says Jamieson.

“The food system is better positioned than most to grow. If we want to grow the economy, food is an opportunity.”

More information is available at itsgoodcanada.ca.

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“It’s Good, Canada” will share personal stories of Canadians working across the food supply chain and provide information about farming, transportation, processing, retail and production on its website.

“It’s natural for Canadians to have an interest and questions about food, which touches our lives every day and has been foremost in the minds of Canadians recently,” CCFI board chair Kim McConnell said in a statement.

“’It’s Good, Canada’ captures the spirit of the agriculture-food industry and delivers on the mandate of the CCFI to earn the trust of Canadians by providing credible, fact-based information and research.”

Campaign organizers hope it will begin a conversation with Canadians about food, while helping them understand the value chain. The campaign will also look to bring together people working within the food system, from farmers to forklift drivers.

“This campaign will initiate a substantial conversation regarding the Canadian food system, we will discuss topics such as jobs, food pricing, science and technology, climate change, exports — topics that are of interest to Canadians,” CCFI CEO John Jamieson said in a statement.

“Consumers may be surprised to learn just how many moving parts are involved in the production, processing, packaging, and delivery of food. At a time when consumers want to understand how they can ensure food is available to them, now presents an opportunity to have a conversation with Canadians.”

‘Vulnerabilities’

Another national campaign, “Growing Stronger,” is being launched by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) and the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute.

Regarding the sector’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign is meant to ask stakeholders, “Could we have done better?”

Organizers plan to connect players within Canada’s food system through an online portal and virtual consultations over the summer and into the fall.

Policy proposals will emerge from that effort and conclusions will be presented at the 2020 Arrell Food Summit before being brought to the CAPI Big Solutions Forum in 2021.

“In the post-COVID-19 world, seeking answers to the key question of ‘how to build a resilient Canadian agri-food system?’ will become more urgent than ever, as this crisis brings to light both where we successfully adapted as well as revealing hidden vulnerabilities in the Canadian agri-food system,” Arrell Food Institute director Evan Fraser said in a statement.

— D.C. Fraser reports for Glacier FarmMedia from Ottawa.

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Jamieson has more than 25 years of senior leadership within Canada’s agri-food sector.

Jamieson succeeds outgoing President Crystal Mackay, who served as the organization’s inaugural president.

“We are delighted to have a respected leader like John join the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) as our president and CEO to further advance our mandate as we strive to build public trust within Canada’s food system,” says Kim McConnell, chair of the CCFI Board of Directors. “We are confident in John’s ability to guide CCFI with his esteemed experience, his many contacts in the food, agriculture and aquaculture industries, and his personal passion to advance public trust.”

Jamieson comes to CCFI after serving as the deputy minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development in Prince Edward Island. He previously served as the executive director of the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture and has a wealth of knowledge working with various commodity organizations. Jamieson is also a Professional Agrologist and Certified Nutrient Management Planner and sits on both the Farm and Food Care Foundation Board of Directors and the Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Agriculture Advisory Committee.

“I am thoroughly excited to take on this new role and to work with the CCFI Board of Directors and industry members to advance trust in Canada’s top-quality food system,” says Jamieson.

Jamieson will be starting with CCFI and reporting to the Guelph office on June 17.

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