We All Play A Part In Building Public Trust In Agriculture

FFC SK is one of several initiatives that make up the national agriculture Public Trust Framework.

In 2018, several stakeholders came together to develop the Public Trust Framework for agriculture. It outlined how the core public trust groups worked together, and their individual and collective work. FFC SK operates within this framework to facilitate consumer access to information about Canadian food and farming.

Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) is a Canadian charitable organization with a vision of bringing agriculture to every classroom, inspiring every student. Member organizations include 10 provincial groups that are the boots on the ground working with local teachers.

Farm & Food Care consists of organizations with a provincial focus. Their primary objectives are to engage consumers in their region with information about local production and partner with industry on public trust initiatives.

FFC Saskatchewan believes that getting to know farmers and ranchers is getting to know food. We’re a coalition linking thousands of livestock, crop and horticulture producers, government, individuals and businesses with a common goal to help people understand and trust in food and farming.

FFC Ontario brings farmers, agricultural professionals, related businesses, government organizations and other groups together with a mandate to build public trust in food and farming in Ontario and across Canada.

FFC Prince Edward Island is committed to informing consumers about how food is produced on the Island in a safe and sustainable manner while supporting the Island food community.

Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) is a national non-profit organization with a clearly defined mandate as the service provider to help Canada’s food system earn trust by coordinating research, resources, dialogue and training.

After the Public Trust Summit in 2018, FFC SK board and staff recognized that consumer engagement activities within the province and by other provincial and national commodity groups will never individually be enough to shift public trust nationally. We determined that a broader, more strategic endeavour focused on consumers was vitally important for public trust efforts to ensure farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses continue to have the freedom to operate. And it required immediate action because a national consumer outreach program did not exist.

In response, FFC SK created Canadian Food Focus (CFF). Food is our common ground and the most intimate way consumers experience agriculture. Food is where we need to begin our conversation with consumers. Established in 2019, CFF is now a national not-for-profit consumer outreach organization that represents all of agriculture and is built around what Canadians want to know about their food.

All of these organizations do important work that is helping to build consumer confidence in our food system. It is vital that we all work together and that we all are supported. Our efforts will not go far if we only focus on students or only on consumers or only on industry, or if we only work in our own regions. Find out how you can support these efforts by contacting the organizations above.