Governments have to embrace a Canadian drive to top supplier status.Ottawa—The agrifood sector goes into the Canada Brand conference here in early November with a clear choice confronting it, says David McInnes, who has been herding discussions on the issue for the past year for the Canada 2020 thinktank.The choice is between remaining as one among many quality food-producing countries or “become one of the world's most trusted suppliers,” the former president of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute said in advance of the conference.Based on discussions across the country during the past year with many agrifood players, it's time for Canada to get serious about its claims to produce high quality, nutritious and sustainable food, he said.To make the Canada Brand food brand really matter requires “a highly-responsible, global-leading, performance-driven food system,” he said.“Canada is not the only country aiming to be a global leader in supplying food. Fine food suppliers elsewhere have similar ambitions.“As well, societal and marketplace expectations are rising for everyone in response to profoundly challenging food issues facing the planet. People want reassurances that their food is safe, authentic and responsibly produced.”Canada needs a sustainability index and a scorecard showing industry progress in meeting U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, McInnes said.While many in the domestic agrifood sector believe the country's reputation for top quality food is unmatched, the international scrutiny on food is staggering. “It begins with a widening view that the current global food system is unsustainable.“A plethora of global and corporate goals are trying to shift behaviours–even transform–how food systems respond. A new language is being introduced as commodity sectors, food companies, NGOs, and others, seek to produce food differently, such as embracing regenerative agriculture, the circular economy and true cost accounting. And, the scrutiny will only increase.“While price continues to drive many food purchase decisions, customersconsumers, investors and others also want reassurances that ingredients and foods are safe and authentic, ethically and sustainably-produced, nutritious and can be reliably-supplied,” he said. “Competing in the future will depend in part on how quality food systems demonstrate such responsibility–and countries are positioning themselves to do so.“Based on what we heard, Canada can develop the metrics and processes needed to verify the claims being made about its food. It can rely on deeper collaborations across the food system to protect the Canada food brand,” McInnes said. “And, it can project what stands behind this to build greater trust at home, inform decision-making and advance our interests abroad. Being a recognized global food leader appears to be within reach.”Canada will have to better at demonstrating the safety of its food supply, he said. “Moreover, a prevailing global interpretation of what is sustainable farming seems to discount Canada's leading agricultural practices and its sustainability record, which is helping to justify veiled protectionist actions against Canada.”While many sectors of Canadian agriculture have adopted programs to reduce their carbon footprint and boost their sustainability practices, “retailers struggle with varying quality and rigour of commodity sustainability certifications.”Canada also has to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in its food system to boost its reputation as a reliable food supplier, McInnes said.Governments need to make enhancing the Canada Brand a key part of their policies by encouraging “accountability for policy coherence across departments and improving how Canada attracts and retains investment. Protecting the country's food brand needs to be a pillar of the next policy agenda.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.