CCA Semi-Annual 2022: Food Policy Report

Food Policy – CCA Semi-Annual Meeting Update
 
A high priority for the Food Policy Committee since CCA’s AGM was the front-of-package labelling proposed by Health Canada. CCA’s advocacy work included meeting with elected and bureaucratic officials, media outreach and the very effective #Don’tLabelMyBeef social media campaign which also included the public sending letters to several MPs across the county. This advocacy work was very successful, resulting in ground beef receiving a front-of-package labelling exemption. 

Two guests were invited to present to the Committee about CCA’s international efforts and why it is imperative that we continue to be present and share the Canadian beef story on the world stage. Robynne Anderson and Ashley Gray. Robynne Anderson is an international consultant who coordinates the Private Sector Mechanism, which feeds into work undertaken by the United Nations, presented how the topics and discussions currently being had at the UN level are a great predictor of the types of regulations that will come domestically over the next couple decades. Ashley Gray, from the Global Meat Alliance, spoke to the importance of groups like CCA continuing to be actively engaged in response to the current anti-meat global narrative.
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Upcoming priorities for the Food Policy Committee include monitoring the potential impacts of the single-use plastics ban. Also on the horizon, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is planning the next iteration of Canada’s Food Policy, which was developed to guide the food-related decisions and actions of Canadians. Staff will continue to watch this progress and are planning for a presentation from AAFC at the annual meeting in March.   
   

Charlene Youngblut, YCC Ontario Delegate