Canada Officially Joins SPG Coalition

Canada has officially now joined a large coalition of international partners led by the US to help speed the transition to more sustainable food systems.

The so-called Coalition for Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation (the SPG Coalition) includes more than 15 countries, as well as dozens of academic organizations. It will take a ‘holistic approach’ to productivity growth that considers impacts and tradeoffs among multiple objectives, including food affordability, farmer income, food loss and waste, resource conservation, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation.

“Collaboration with coalition partners will provide Canada with an international platform to advocate for research, advance innovations and technologies, and facilitate productivity growth in our own agriculture and agri-food sector,” Ottawa said in a statement Friday.

Pushed by US Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack, the coalition was originally borne as an outcome of the United Nations Food Systems Summit, which took place in September 2021. Canada has been listed as a partner on the coalition’s website since early January, but the government did not officially announce its participation until now.

The Grain Growers of Canada applauded Canada’s membership in the coalition, noting that science and innovation must be utilized to maximize agriculture’s economic potential, further improve sustainability, and feed a growing population.

“As farmers, we are proud of the progress we have made in combining sustainability with increased productivity, and we appreciate that our government recognizes that too,” said Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) Andre Harpe. “As members of this coalition, we look forward to working with them on policies and programs that continue to prioritize sustainably increasing our productivity.”