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Fall
2017
Grains
West
6
Buildingtrust requires credibility
CONSUMERS ARE HUNGRY FORGOOD FOODANDGOOD INFORMATION
CONSUMER PREFERENCE DOESN’T
always appear to be rational, but the
simple desire to eat healthy food grown in
a responsible way is just that. To this end,
all of us crave good information.
In this, the fall issue of
GrainsWest
, we
examine the implications of GMO food
labelling for the agricultural sector (page
34). While negative claims about the
healthfulness and ecological friendliness
of these crops hasn’t held up to scientific
scrutiny, and they’ve been widely grown
and consumed for decades, demand for
non-GMO certified food products appar-
ently continues to grow.
Anyone who spends time surfing social
media channels is well aware of the
agricultural community’s frustration with
such trends that don’t square with reality.
However, while some people believe what
they want to believe, most of us take
action based on information delivered by
trustworthy sources.
The Canadian Centre for Food In-
tegrity (CCFI) is working to equip the
agricultural sector with the tools and un-
derstanding to counter misinformation.
The way to earn trust, the group advises,
is through transparency; to present clear,
credible and accurate information that’s
relevant to consumers and discloses both
the positive and the negative aspects of
food issues. The CCFI’s research on the
subject is encouraging in that it appears
to indicate public opinion is flexible, and
there is a hunger for honest information
on food topics.
This research also indicates there are
areas in need of work. For example., rel-
ative to other demographics, millennials
have the lowest trust in farmers (24 per
cent) and 42 per cent of total respondents
said they are personally concerned about
eating food produced from genetically
engineered crops.
On the upside, the 2017 survey indicates
an increase over 2016 in the belief among
respondents that the nation’s food system
is headed in the right direction. That num-
ber is highest (51 per cent) among foodies,
self-styled cuisine fiends who are arguably
the best-informed consumers with respect
to food issues.
Also offering a numerical pick-me-up,
we look at the implications of the 2016
Canadian Census of Agriculture (page 30).
A shot of good news for the ag industry,
it presents the welcome development that
more young farmers are taking up the
profession, and more women are among
them as well.
While younger people are realizing
the career and economic opportunities
farming presents, international markets
for Canadian ag products continue to
open and evolve. NAFTA renegotiation
is of great concern to Alberta farmers
(page 38), but with the risk inherent in
the process comes the chance to improve
aspects of the agreement. While Canadian
negotiators face substantial challenges in
securing such tweaks, the grains sector
stands to benefit greatly in engineering a
Canada-China free trade agreement. We
examine the predicted benefits of such a
deal in the run up to its imminent negoti-
ating process (page 10).
Further expanding on our coverage of
federal ag initiatives, we asked indus-
try representatives to weigh in on the
strengths and weaknesses of the Liberal
government’s performance at the halfway
EDITOR’S
MESSAGE
while some people believe
what they want to believe,
most of us take action based
on information delivered by
trustworthy sources.
point of its first term (page 26). Taxation
issues notably aside, it has drawn con-
siderable praise, including for initiatives
such as the Transportation Moderniza-
tion Act.
Our story lineup presents some enjoya-
ble positives, but we employ the objective
communication strategy advocated by the
CCFI. For instance, we examine the feder-
al government’s imidacloprid review (page
16) and is hotly contentious implications.
Sometimes the news may be hard to
digest and consumer preferences unsatis-
fying, but as an ag community, we need
to remain positive and know that when
we work together, we can accomplish
much.