Farm & Food Care Canada is launching a new entity to help this country's food industry get a better understanding of what consumers are interested in when it comes to food.
CEO Crystal Mackay says the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity will be the Canadian food system's collective investment in bridging the gap between consumer expectation and farm practices.
It will be affiliated with the Centre for Food Integrity in the U-S - which has been in operation since 2007.
Mackay says that affiliation will create a North American approach and perspective on the questions and conversations about food in the increasingly interconnected global food system.
According to her, the industry can't just educate people that everything food producers are doing is right.
"We can't just quote/unquote educate people that everything we're doing is right. But it really needs to be based on a genuine conversation of understanding the public's concerns and them understanding some of our farm practices better and probably a shift both ways to come closer to the middle."
She argues the industry needs to understand the public's concerns while, at the same time, consumers need to understand normal farm practices.
Mackay cites the recent controversy involving Earls Restaurants.
She sees the chain's decision to move back to Canadian beef a sign that Canadians value buying local and supporting Canadian farmers - for now.
She's hoping the more the entire food chain can increase understanding of food production practices on topics like antibiotics and humane treatment, the credible information will eventually win out.
"The food supply chain was not designed for collaboration, it was designed for competitive transactions, right? So now we have this demand on the whole food supply chain - my dad the beef farmer right through to the CEO of the biggest restaurants and grocery stores in this country - all need public trust in food, which needs to be based on credible information."
The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity will be launched at Farm & Food Care's first annual Public Trust Summit in Ottawa the end of this month.
Mackay says that launch will include the results of an in-depth survey on public trust in food and farming.
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Mackay says the Centre will bring the whole food supply chain together.
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Mackay says the Centre will be a collaboration of the entire food chain to create trust in food.
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She suggests companies will always want to make their own branding decisions, but collaboration on the basics is important.
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