Ag Policy Connection: Innovation at the heart of food security and resilience, says Alison Sunstrum

"A resilient system depends on processing capacity, supply chains, labour mobility, energy inputs, trade corridors, and digital infrastructure. In an era where trade pressure and supply disruptions are increasingly used as geopolitical tools, agriculture should be viewed as critical infrastructure rather than simply another economic sector."

"Canada has strong early-stage entrepreneurship but struggles to scale innovation. Limited access to capital, fragmented support systems, and a heavy reliance on grants can leave promising companies without the mentorship, markets, or investment needed to grow globally."

"Strengthening resilience will require policy changes that encourage commercialization, attract private capital, modernize infrastructure, and diversify trade corridors. Canada's competitive advantage in agriculture will depend not only on what farmers produce, but on how effectively the entire system supports innovation, adoption, and global market access."

Agriculture represents critical national security infrastructure for Canada, extending far beyond primary production to encompass processing capacity, supply chains, labour mobility, energy inputs, trade corridors, and digital infrastructure. Food security resilience depends on the entire system's effectiveness. Canada demonstrates strong early-stage agricultural entrepreneurship but faces significant scaling challenges due to limited capital access, fragmented support systems, and over-reliance on grants. Declining investment in agricultural research and development poses additional concerns, particularly when research facility consolidations lack clear replacement strategies. Strengthening resilience requires policy reforms that encourage commercialization, attract private capital, modernize infrastructure, and diversify trade corridors. Canada's competitive agricultural advantage depends on supporting innovation adoption and enabling global market access across the complete value chain.

Read at Realagriculture