Cdn. ag industry launches Canada’s Food System national campaign

The campaign celebrates the people, innovation, and strength in Canada’s food system

A new national campaign aims to connect Canadians with the food system that feeds them, employs them, and supports Canada around the world.

The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) and multiple industry groups collaborated to launch Canada’s Food System: Our Food. Our Future.

The campaign uses storytelling, research, and digital engagement to highlight the innovations and high-tech systems that strengthen sustainability, food security, and affordability.

Launching the campaign now coincides with a shift in how Canadians view the food system.

Only one in three Canadians felt the food system was headed in the right direction. But that’s changing, said Lisa Bishop-Spencer, the CCFI’s executive director.

“Over the past year we’ve been seeing signs that Canadians are paying closer attention to the resilience and the national capacity of their food system,” she said during an Oct. 6 press conference. “We’re seeing indicators that our upcoming 2025 public trust research will point to a shift in how Canadians are viewing the sector. There’s a growing pro-Canadian sentiment emerging from the current environment.”

The campaign also reflects a want from Canadians to understand the food system.

86 per cent of Canadians say a national initiative like this one will support learning about food, Bishop-Spencer said.

The food system is a major part of Canada’s makeup.

It provides 2.3 million jobs (Vancouver’s population in 2023 was about 2.6 million).

And $140 billion to the national GDP (Croatia’s total GDP in 2024 was roughly $100 billion).

“More than the automotive, the forestry, steel and aluminum, and the oil and gas sectors combined,” Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, said during the press conference. “This is not just an agricultural story, it’s a national economy story.”

Canadians can participate in the national campaign in two ways.

One is to listen to either a six-part English or two-part French audio docuseries available on Spotify and other podcast platforms.

Episode one is available now.

The English episode features Sask. farmer and Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan President Bill Prybylski, and his son Neil, talking about generational knowledge sharing, and how working together supports the family farm.

And Dr. Steven Webb, the executive director and CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security, discusses the science that’s part of Canada’s food system.

The first French episode focuses on the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, a group of young Canadians chosen every 18 months to advise and influence sector policy.

Two members of the council discuss technology and land use planning.

The other way Canadians can take part is to sign the online pledge.