Canada’s agriculture and food sectors viewed as key driver of post-pandemic national economy

The fourth annual national Agri-food public opinion poll by Grassroots Public Affairs finds almost half of Canadians (48 per cent) believe very strongly in the sector’s ability to drive the Canadian economy, post-pandemic.

With support from Food Banks Canada, Grassroots’ online survey measured attitudes, direction, and intensity of public opinion on a range of issues around Canada’s domestic Agri-food sector.

While Canadians remain extremely confident (92 per cent) in food grown or produced at home, recent price increases are driving some interesting shifts in consumer habits and attitudes:

- 71 per cent of Canadians are opting for discounted or lower-cost items, up by a third since 2020.

- More than eight in 10 (84 per cent) see hunger and food insecurity in Canada as a serious problem, a 25 per cent increase since 2021.

- Half the country (51 per cent) observe that animal proteins are “significantly” more expensive this year, and yet red meat consumption is slowly on the rise, a two per cent increase since 2021.

“So much has changed over the past two years, including supply chain viability, and increasing food prices, but one thing remains the same – Canadians still believe strongly in the potential of domestic food production. There will always be challenges, but few other industries are consistently viewed as positively. Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-food sector is resilient, and with the full support of government it stands ready to help Canada regain its economic stability,” says Peter Seemann, Principal and Senior Consultant at Grassroots Public Affairs.

New questions for the 2022 poll gathered public opinion about:

- Trust in agricultural institutions when providing information around food safety or nutrition.

- Farming practices today vs. the past with respect to animal rights and environmental impact.

- How agriculture and agri-food is seen as a post-pandemic economic driver, in relation to other sectors of the Canadian economy.

Multiple years of thorough research has reinforced Grassroots Public Affairs strong belief in the growth potential of Canada’s domestic food system.

Other highlight findings include:

Modern farming practices seen as less harmful

- 57 per cent of Canadians say farmers have taken animal rights of poultry and livestock more seriously than in the past.

- 26 per cent of Canadians believe current agricultural practices are less harmful for the environment, 23 per cent say modern practices have become more harmful.

The full survey can be viewed at https://grassrootspa.ca/the-grassroots-greenhouse-2022/.