Much better data on the environmental performance of agrifood is needed.Ottawa—The agrifood sector comes in for plenty of criticism about its impact on the environment and it's time to adopt a new response to the critics, says Gord Bacon, CEO of Pulse Canada.Farmers and food processors have taken a lot of steps during the last decade to reduce their environmental footprint and increase carbon retention and storage in the soil, Bacon said. Rather than being defensive when challenged, the sector should adopt the mantra 'We will be better.'That statement would acknowledge what has already been accomplished by farmers and processors as well as the potential for further improvements, Bacon said in an interview about the suggestion he made in an address to the recent Protein Summit in Lille, France.“I don't see a reasonable alternative to this approach. We need to move past discussions on national food security and the environment.”What should be the priority for the sector and governments is identifying the poorest performers in terms of emissions and environmental impact and finding practical ways to help them improve.This do-better approach would also enable the sector to focus on other important issues such as protecting fresh water and wildlife and plant biodiversity, goals which fit in international conservation objectives.“We have to understand the variability not just across commodities but between farms and why it's happening,” he said. “Currently there is little useful data on the environmental performances within the sector. Conditions change between fence lines separating farms.”There are major differences in soil conditions, the climate and production practices across the country that affect the environmental performance of farms, he said. They need to be taken into account to obtain an accurate picture of the environmental performance of farmers and food processors.“We have a lot of work to do in terms of determining the carbon balance among crops and what progress Canada can take credit for in reducing its carbon dioxide emissions. Right now, we have little, and in many cases, no useful data on the environmental situation.”For example, Ontario and Quebec have large livestock operations with dairy, beef, hog and poultry operations while the Prairies has much of its land in crops, he said.A full examination of the environmental situation of Canadian farms could mean some areas shouldn't be used for production of certain crops or production practices there need to be changed, he said. There also should be recognition that some crops, pulses among them, have more progress toward sustainable production than others.The processing sector needs special attention because it is a larger source of carbon emissions than farming, he said.Getting a clearer picture of the environmental impact of Canada agrifood is crucial to the international marketability of its products. The global market is dominated by corporate brands rather than the national origin of foods and those companies want products that fit with their image and environmental claims, he said.The National Food Policy and the Food Policy Advisory Council the Trudeau government has promised could be useful forums for advancing this approach.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.