More Canadians are now looking to seek out Canadian-produced food, according to a recent survey from Farm Credit Canada.
The survey, which was conducted between January 8-12, 2021, found that six out of 10 Canadians are more likely to purchase Canadian-made or -grown food.
“We had surveyed 2000 Canadians across the country, reflective of how the country is divided, and the reason we did it is in advance of Canada’s Agriculture Day, this one day a year where we celebrate Canadian food, we just wanted to know what consumers were thinking,” said Marty Seymour, Director of Industry Relations with FCC.
The survey showed that around 56 per cent of Canadians are more likely to look for Canadian-made or -grown food during the COVID-19 pandemic. 50 per cent are more likely to think about how their food is grown.
“I think this means opportunity, in the last 10 years in agriculture we’ve been talking about trust in food and for me, it’s somewhat inspiring to see that six in ten Canadians, since the pandemic, are more likely to buy Canadian-grown food,” added Seymour. “That to me is a clear demonstration that consumers trust Canadians and I think part of it infers the idea that we are supporting Canadian companies. We see that in retail we see that in food and we see it everywhere.”
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In the same survey, eight out of 10 Canadians said that Canada’s food system and agricultural sector have adapted and responded well to the pandemic, and a huge total of 94 per cent said they support Canada’s agricultural sector.
Meanwhile, 91 per cent of respondents believe many producers do not feel that appreciated by the public.
