Canadian Consumers Increasingly Concerned About Rising Food Costs

The Managing Director of Canadian Food Focus says the rising cost of food is among the top concerns right now of Canadian consumers. Canadian Food Focus is a national initiative designed to provide science-based articles and information to help Canadians understand where their food comes from.

Dorothy Long, the Managing Director of Canadian Food Focus, suggests, when consumers think about agriculture, they're really thinking about their food.

Quote-Dorothy Long-CanadianFoodFocus.org:

The main concern that consumers have right now and the thing that they're feeling the most is the pressure of high food prices. We've seen it on our web site with the popularity of some of our content around meal planning, understanding food labels, how to reduce food waste.I also think, related to this, is that we're seeing a growing curiosity about how farmers are using innovation, so things like plant science and robotics, to help produce food and how that might affect the environment and keeping food not only available but more affordable over the long term.

I feel that one of our roles at Canadian Food Focus is helping to connect the dots between that innovation and how farm decisions are made about efficiencies and soil health and animal care and how that relates to what they can buy and afford in their local grocery store.Another important part of it and where we try to provide information is on that food literacy side of things, so ensuring they have the skills to create a shopping list and a meal plan so that they can make the most of their food dollar.

Long says there are many issues related to food security, affordability and availability so a key role of Canadian Food Focus is providing information about the factors that are affecting food costs and how farmers are using innovation to help to address that.Further information on Canadian Food Focus can be found at canadianfoodfocus.org.