Centre for Agri-Food Benchmarking should be in operation next year.   Ottawa-The farm and food sector needs to prove to the world that it's progressing on internationally-accepted environmental goals and the way to do that is to establish a National Index on Agri-Food Performance. A coalition of 34 public and private organizations is working on building a business case for the Index “to affirm Canada's agri-food leadership in a more demanding food world,” says David McInnes, who has spent two years getting the sector engaged in sustainability. He now co-ordinates the coalition. “The proposed National Index will provide the rigour needed to demonstrate the Canadian agri-food sector's role in combating climate change, enhancing food security and confirming meaningful environmental and socioeconomic improvements across the Canadian food system.” McInnes said there is a global race to reduce environmental impacts, meet net-zero-emission targets, and improve health and societal outcomes in the food sector that Canada has to keep up with. “Proof of sustainability is increasingly required to compete at home and abroad in an industry that is expected to show progress on these pressing matters.” Benchmarking sustainability in Canadian food production is “enabled by the fact that farmers, themselves, are driven to improve their own productivity and are early-adopters of innovative practices. Improving soil health and minimizing inputs makes good business sense thereby boosting productivity, improving the economics of farming and building resilience to climate change.” Setting up the National Index and a Centre for Agri-Food Benchmarking will position Canada “to seize the initiative and demonstrate its rightful place as one of the most sustainable and responsible food systems in the world,” he said. “Showing that ingredients and value-added foods are sustainably-produced is vital to build greater trust in the domestic and global marketplace, alike. “This sustainability index should become Canada's signature response for a society and marketplace that increasingly values transparency and accountability for how food is produced. We want Canada to be known here and abroad as the trusted source of food.” The Index will enable “Canada to present internationally accepted credentials that will be used to grow and protect market share, project a stronger presence on the international stage, and build greater trust in the domestic marketplace,” he said.  It will also “confirm meaningful environmental and socio-economic improvements across the Canadian food system.” Proof of sustainability is increasingly required to compete at home and abroad in an industry that is expected to show progress toward environmental and other societal outcomes.” In light of Canada's ambitious agrifood export goals, “we must seize this opportunity to take an international lead in the development of a robust sustainability framework that presents a credible view of performance for Canada's food customers, investors, regulators and consumers,” McInnes said. “Canada needs this index to express and leverage the value of its agrifood sector as a green, world-leading and growth-driving economic engine, which will be essential for a post-pandemic society that wishes to maintain food security while increasing prosperity and protecting the environment.” The coalition's goal is to work on building the final backing for developing the Index and having it ready by late next year as well getting the Benchmarking Centre established. The coalition membership includes agriculture, food industry and wildlife organizations, academics and government departments. 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.