OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA — Canada is investing in the Canadian Agri-Food Sustainability Initiative (CASI) to boost sustainability and build public trust in its agriculture sector.  

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced a federal investment of C$560,000 for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) to develop the initiative. It will provide Canadian farmers and processors an online national platform to proactively meet the growing demand for proof of sustainability from customers.

With this support, the CFA will create a single window for data on the sustainability of the Canadian agri-food supply chain. This will provide a forum where producers and processors can share information and connect with new networks interested in sustainability. The initiative also will serve as a hub to benchmark and track the sustainability of the Canadian agri-food industry compared to international standards.

“More and more, customers of Canada’s high-quality food want to know that their food was produced ethically, with a minimized impact on the environment,” Bibeau said. “Canada’s farmers and processors are already leaders when it comes to the use of more green technologies and practices in our food production. This new initiative is an important tool to tell our story and build consumers’ trust for our producers.”

Ultimately, the Canadian Agri-Food Sustainability Initiative will support Canadian food producers’ use of label claims about the safety and quality of their food products.

“CASI will provide farmers with an online portal to benchmark their efforts with existing sustainability programs and connect them to potential clients both at home and abroad,” said Mary Robinson, president of the CFA. “The goal is to provide farmers with an efficient avenue to connect with clients who recognize their hard work in sustainability. CASI will also aim to connect farmers to programs that serve as criteria to receive environmental funding. This will provide farmers a bridge to resources that help fund their critical environmental efforts. AAFC will be contributing C$562,870 over three three years and would like to formally thank AAFC for this generous contribution.”