Survey finds many don't know enough to judge the food system.   Ottawa—Nine in 10 Canadians admit to knowing little to nothing about modern agriculture but many are interested in learning more about it, says a survey conducted for the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). Nearly half the respondents said they knew a little about farming while 31 per cent said they knew very little and 11 per cent said they knew nothing. CCFI surveys since 2016 have found similar results. The latest survey collected results from a sample of 2,189 Canadians in June. It also showed “only one in three Canadian consumers believe Canada's food system is headed in the right direction. Fortunately, the percentage of people who feel the food system is going in the right direction out numbers those who feel the food system is headed down the wrong track.” The highest percentage of the population fits within the unsure category. The survey found 64 per cent of Canadians were concerned with the rising cost of food followed by 62 per cent who said they were worried about keeping healthy food affordable. Just over half said they were concerned with the safety of imported food. Overall food safety was cited by 49 per cent while humane treatment of farm animals was an issue for 43 per cent. “Overall, the level of concern Canadians report having for most issues has softened, year-over-year, with a slight shift of opinions from the highly to moderately concerned category.” An encouraging sign was that three in five Canadians view agriculture in Canada positively. “While there has been a significant reduction in the proportion who view the industry negatively, this movement has coincided with an increase in the number of Canadians who report not knowing enough to offer an informed opinion,” CCFI said. The agrifood sector should view the results as an opportunity “to provide transparent and accurate material that demonstrates best practices.” Canadians are more trusting of food produced in the country as opposed to anywhere else in the world. A majority said they are “comfortable consuming meat, milk and eggs provided if farm animals are treated decently and humanely,” CCFI said. “The research demonstrates an opportunity to provide information to consumers on best practices for animal welfare and show what values Canadian livestock farms operate under.” Once again, the survey found farmers are trusted more than anyone else when it comes to accurate information about their food. “University researchers and the broader Canadian agriculture sector also hold a high degree of trust compared to other sources such as restaurants, government and food processors who were far behind.” Farmers and others in the food chain “have a high degree of responsibility to provide credible information on how food is grown or produced,” CCFI said. At the same time, fewer than half of those surveyed “view someone such as environmental activist like David Suzuki or advocacy groups as believable and just one in ten would trust the opinion of a well-known celebrity when it comes to farming and the environment.” Veterinarians rank high when it comes to providing trustworthy information on animal agriculture. “Most Canadians view farmers as credible sources when it comes to farming and food safety issues and around two in three would describe dietitians, doctors and university professors in this way,” CCFI said. “When building marketing strategies and communication materials to resonate with your intended audience, look at who could be the most credible source of information to speak to that food.” 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.