‘Food security isn’t policy, it’s survival’: Dickinson

Arlene Dickinson says Canada is a ‘stuck in a commodity mindset’ and we should ‘build a national agri-food brand.’

Canada is not only behind but “rapidly losing ground” when it comes to agri-food competitiveness, Arlene Dickinson wrote in a Globe and Mail op-ed.

“Food security isn’t policy, it’s survival. Governments and companies are racing to secure safe supply. Canada should naturally be their first call,” Dickinson, a member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Canada-U.S. relations, wrote. “We have the land, water, reputation and safety standards to feed billions. Yet we’re barely noticed. We’re seen as a bulk commodity supplier at best, while markets across the Pacific sit wide open.”

She said she recently came back from a trip to Japan, Thailand and Singapore, where she was “looking to understand Asia’s opportunities firsthand.” She learned that Canadian companies are not doing enough to sell the Canadian brand. 

“Because we’re stuck in a commodity mindset, we’ve ignored where the real value lies: processing, co-packing, branding, retailing. That’s where reputations and profits grow. That’s where jobs are created. That’s what we’re leaving on the table,” she said. “Our agri-food system is underresourced, approvals drag on for years and entrepreneurs drown in costly red tape. Meanwhile, competitors race ahead with digital tools, real-time traceability and modernized regulations.”

In addition to addressing those issues, Dickinson said Canada should “Build a national agri-food brand. Make ‘Canada’ synonymous with safe, premium, innovative food.”

She said while the world trusts Canada, we’re not moving quickly enough to seize opportunities. “Agri-food isn’t a side story. It’s thousands of jobs, exports and significant economic growth. It’s a chance to feed Canadians and billions more. But we won’t seize it inching forward while others sprint,” she wrote. “Food security is the world’s top priority. The opportunity is open now.”