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AAFC invests in proof of agricultural sustainability

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced a federal investment of $560,000 for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) to develop the Canadian Agri-Food Sustainability Initiative. This new initiative 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. This initiative will also serve as a hub to benchmark and track the sustainability of the Canadian agri-food industry compared to international standards.

“The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is pleased to announce that we have recently received funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to start work on the Canadian Agri-Food Sustainability Initiative, or “CASI,” says Mary Robinson, President Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “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. 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 $562,870 over 3 three years and would like to formally thank AAFC for this generous contribution.”

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.

“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. 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,” says Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.