Canadians’ view of the food system has been up and down over the past two years of the pandemic, but results are still better than 2018 and 2019. Research from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity shows that Canada’s food system has room to improve when it comes to building trust.

Canadians Have A Mixed View Of Their Food System

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After considerable improvement in 2020, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s (CCFI) 2021 consumer survey shows a significant decline in those who feel the food system is headed in the right direction. Of course, that’s not what those who work in the agricultural sector want to hear, but for Canadian farmers like Jack Froese, it’s no surprise given the unpredictable world we’ve been living in these past two years.

“Everything we farmers do hinges on a good relationship with consumers,” says Froese, a fourth-generation farmer in southern Manitoba. “I see it more than producing grains and oilseeds – I’m producing food. Farmers are always looking for ways to improve how we do it, and the public doesn’t always get to see that.”

CCFI’s research shows that most of the movement in 2021 can be attributed to an increase in the number of Canadians who say they ‘Don’t Know’. (See image 1.) As the results show, there is no significant increase in those who feel the food system is headed in the wrong direction.

CCFI is a member-based non-profit organization that works to build public trust in Canada’s food system by leading transparent two-way communications, conducting annual public trust research and providing resources.

“I was dreading sharing [this data] with the food system,” says Paighton Smyth, partner engagement coordinator with the CCFI. “But it’s not as bad as it seems – everyone in the ‘Right Direction’ category went into the ‘Don’t Know’ category. It’s not ideal, but it’s a great opportunity for the food system to share information and earn trust with those who don’t know.”

Canadians still trust the food system, but many are confused.

Froese explains how he’d like to show consumers how he and his family farm their 4,700-acre grains, oilseeds and special crop farm. “The land and soil are our lifeline,” Froese adds. “Everyone in the food chain, including us, are eating the food we’re producing like consumers are, and the whole system starts with the farmer.”

Building trust isn’t about giving consumers more science, more research or more information. CCFI’s research shows it’s about demonstrating that we as a food system, share the same values as consumers. So, what do consumers care about?

Image 1: Based on Canadian Centre for Food Integrity surveys of Canadians, the percentage of people who say Canada’s food system is “moving in the right direction” is down in 2021 compared to 2020, but still better than 2018 and 2019.

“Everything we farmers do hinges on a good relationship with consumers… Farmers are always looking for ways to improve how we do it, and the public doesn’t always get to see that.”

—Jack Froese

Five Consumer Priorities

The CCFI survey identifies consumer priorities when it comes to their food supply, and climate change entered the top five for the first time. Here are five consumer priorities related to food and farming:

1. You, Farmers.

Farmers are still consumers’ number one trusted source when it comes to food and farming information. Forty-three percent of participants ranked farmers – at the top – as highly trusted, with small, independent producers in second place and university researchers in third. This is good news. Trust remains strong for farmers regardless of how consumers see the food system as a whole.

2. Local Food

Now more than ever, Canadians are looking to support small businesses and local food production. Now, ‘local’ can be defined in many ways (think: proximity, regionally, provincially or nationally), but the top-of-mind association consumers have with ‘local’ is supporting local business with ‘farmers markets’ and ‘u-picks’.

Research also shows that Canadians trust food produced in Canada more than they trust food beyond the border. Fifty per cent of CCFI’s research participants said they have sought out information about food that is grown or produced locally to where they live. In other words, consumers want to buy Canadian-made foods, and many say they are willing to pay more for it.

3. Healthy, Affordable Food.

Trends show that consumers are moving toward big-picture thinking when it comes to the food system, whereas the intricate details are becoming less of a concern. Since CCFI began tracking data, the most prominent life issue Canadians have identified is the rising cost of food and food affordability.

The fear of a profit-driven system is supporting these concerns. We know food production is a business that needs to be profitable, but it’s more than that. “You have to be economically viable to be socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. And it falls in that order,” says Froese. “There’s a cost to everything, and you never make a light decision. You have to look at if you’re doing the right thing.”

4. Climate Change

For the first time, sustainability and environmental concerns have made the top five list of life issues for Canadians. Canadians desire a sustainable food system that takes care of the planet and the environment.

Froese adds that farmers care greatly about the environment. “Innovations on my farm have a direct impact on environment and sustainability, but it also improves employee fatigue and pushes money into the local economy.”

5. Transparency

When Canadians said the food system is going in the ‘wrong direction’ they mentioned it was because of a lack of transparency, particularly with food processing. Consumers have a desire for more information on ingredients to help make informed choices.