A coalition of organizations in agriculture and food have come together to release a landmark Innovation Statement in advance of the Next Policy Framework (NPF). The Innovation Statement is a call to action for governments to work with other partners to embrace the change necessary to ensure Canada can once again be a global leader in turning innovation into impact across agriculture and food. 

Canada's agri-food innovation system has a strong track record of delivering breakthroughs, underpinned by robust research and innovation through the value chain. After more than a year of national stakeholder engagement, a clear message emerged: the primary challenge is no longer creating innovation, but accelerating its adoption and translating it into meaningful, measurable outcomes.  

Too few technologies developed in Canada reach commercialization, achieve widespread adoption, or generate long-term economic returns. Barriers include limited access to investment, fragmented support systems across jurisdictions, insufficient continuity along the innovation continuum, regulatory challenges, and a ‘missing middle’ proof of concept and market scale.

Through its role in convening partners to advance policy solutions, the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) supported the development of a clear, shared opportunity: 

 

The Innovation Statement  

Canada becomes a global leader in turning innovation into impact across agriculture and food. Impact is achieved through increasing investment and adoption and measured by growing productivity, resilience, and value creation.  

 

The Innovation Statement is underpinned by three recommendations. These are ambitious but achievable changes governments can make in the NPF.

1. Strengthen innovation leadership and prioritization to provide clear direction, stronger alignment and accountability for results.
2. Modernize the regulatory system to improve predictability, transparency and the conditions for commercialization, adoption and investment.
3. Reform and renew programs to strengthen the path from proof-of-concept to commercialization, modernization, adoption and scale. 

The Innovation Statement is backed by partners, including the Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine, Manitoba Pork, EMILI, Nucleus, Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network, Seeds Canada, the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, the Canadian Food Innovation Network, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Pulse Canada, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers, CropLife Canada, the Canola Council of Canada and the Wheat Growers Association.

Source: Canadian Agri-food Policy Institute June 25, 2026 news release