CFA News Release
Food Freedom Day coming,
Canadians still get the best deal on food
(OTTAWA) – With Food Freedom Day less than a week away, Statistics Canada has released numbers that show Canadians still get the best deal in the western world for their food dollar.
Food Freedom Day is the day the average Canadian consumer has earned enough income to pay his or her individual grocery bill for the entire year. This year Food Freedom Day is happening even earlier – February 3 – because in recent years Canadian disposable income has risen significantly faster than the cost of food.
The numbers released by Statistics Canada show that, over the past year, the Canadian grocery bill has risen only 0.6 per cent. By contrast, Europeans are paying 4.3 per cent more for their groceries, the United Kingdom 5.1 per cent more, and Americans are paying 5.4 per cent more.
“There is some growing concern among Canadian consumers about rising food costs, but the fact of the matter is your grocery bill has not risen that much,” said Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “And when you add in the fact that Canadian food is of the highest quality, produced to high standards of food safety and environmental sustainability, you the consumer are getting the best deal for your food in the western world.”
This year, as part of Food Freedom Day, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is also emphasizing the need for a clear and meaningful “Grown in Canada” food label.
“More and more Canadian consumers are looking for Canadian grown for reliable quality they know they can trust,” said Friesen. “To help them make that choice Canada needs a new food label system that clearly identifies foods that were produced by Canadian farmers.”
On Food Freedom Day the CFA also emphasizes the relatively small farmer’s share of the consumer’s food dollar. Within the first three weeks of the year an average consumer has earned enough income to pay the farmer’s share of the annual grocery bill. While prices have risen recently in some agricultural commodities like grains, other Canadian commodity sectors, particularly the livestock sector, still face a significant income crisis.
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Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.
Food Freedom Day coming,
Canadians still get the best deal on food
(OTTAWA) – With Food Freedom Day less than a week away, Statistics Canada has released numbers that show Canadians still get the best deal in the western world for their food dollar.
Food Freedom Day is the day the average Canadian consumer has earned enough income to pay his or her individual grocery bill for the entire year. This year Food Freedom Day is happening even earlier – February 3 – because in recent years Canadian disposable income has risen significantly faster than the cost of food.
The numbers released by Statistics Canada show that, over the past year, the Canadian grocery bill has risen only 0.6 per cent. By contrast, Europeans are paying 4.3 per cent more for their groceries, the United Kingdom 5.1 per cent more, and Americans are paying 5.4 per cent more.
“There is some growing concern among Canadian consumers about rising food costs, but the fact of the matter is your grocery bill has not risen that much,” said Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “And when you add in the fact that Canadian food is of the highest quality, produced to high standards of food safety and environmental sustainability, you the consumer are getting the best deal for your food in the western world.”
This year, as part of Food Freedom Day, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is also emphasizing the need for a clear and meaningful “Grown in Canada” food label.
“More and more Canadian consumers are looking for Canadian grown for reliable quality they know they can trust,” said Friesen. “To help them make that choice Canada needs a new food label system that clearly identifies foods that were produced by Canadian farmers.”
On Food Freedom Day the CFA also emphasizes the relatively small farmer’s share of the consumer’s food dollar. Within the first three weeks of the year an average consumer has earned enough income to pay the farmer’s share of the annual grocery bill. While prices have risen recently in some agricultural commodities like grains, other Canadian commodity sectors, particularly the livestock sector, still face a significant income crisis.
-30-
Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.
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