More than $3.1 million will be heading to the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) under the AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component, says federal ag minister, Lawrence MacAulay.

This funding will be used to make improvements to the National Index on Agri-Food Performance, which acts as a point of reference for companies to declare the sustainability of their practices. CAPI will use the funding to include more partners in refining the tool, fix missing information, and create an upgraded version of the Index.

The Index looks at how sustainable Canada’s farming and food sector is from food production to retail, covering things such as how it affects the environment, the quality of food, and how it helps the economy and society. The new version of the Index will help show the agriculture sector is operating in a sustainable way, help Canadian food brands demonstrate their claims, and help consumers make informed choices when purchasing products.

“The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute is pleased to be part of a growing coalition of public and private actors working to improve the data and transparency of the agriculture and food system sustainability in Canada,” says Tyler McCann, managing director, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. “As the Index evolves, so does CAPI and we are pleased to house the Centre as part of our ongoing efforts to advance policy solutions that realize the full potential of Canada’s agriculture and food system.”

The National Index on Agri-Food Performance, Canada’s first agri-food sustainability index, was published in May 2023. This pilot Index was created through a coalition of 142 private-public agri-food partners. The pilot was led by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture with funding support from the AgriAssurance Program.

Source:  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada February 27, 2024 news release