BMO has committed $1 million to the Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy to lead a new program to change the way society perceives and engages with the food system.
The Simpson Center says the Agricultural Literacy for Healthier People and Planet program will help deepen understanding of the complexities of agricultural systems in a world where the food we eat plays a key role in both our health and the health of the planet.
A total of 13 universities across Canada, as well as Stanford University in the United States, will conduct outreach and research on food systems over approximately five years to “better understand the food choices we make and inform agricultural policy design.”
Guillaume L’Hermie, director of the Simpson Centre, says the programme is designed to reach a wide range of audiences, including formal stakeholders such as research, industry and government, as well as informal audiences such as consumers and citizens.
“We’re especially focused on engaging young people and teens who are active on social media and eager to participate in shaping the future of our food system,” L’Hermie says.
The program offers a variety of written and digital resources to educate the public on controversial issues in the food system, including GMOs, pesticides and food labeling practices, surveying consumer knowledge and actively engaging with the public.
“BMO is a proud partner of Ag Literacy for Healthier People and Planet, committed to spreading understanding and importance of sustainable innovations within the agri-food system and how communities relate to it,” said Helen Seibel, head of Employee and Community Giving at BMO.
