23: Measuring What Matters: Transforming Canada's Agri-Food System
Episode 23 · May 12, 2026
A panel of experts discuss the critical challenges and opportunities in developing a more robust food system in Canada. The conversation explores key strategies around infrastructure, food waste reduction, measurement, and investment to enhance national food security and resilience.
Overview
What does a resilient agri-food system actually look like — and how would we know if we were building one?
In this Future Herd panel episode, guest host Jen MacTavish brings three previous guests back to the table for a wide-ranging conversation on food resilience, food waste, infrastructure, capital, policy, and the measurements that shape Canada’s agri-food future.
The discussion features Camden Lawrence of First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario, Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest, and Tyler McCann, Managing Director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. Together, they explore the gap between producing food and building a system capable of feeding people reliably, affordably, and with less waste.
Key themes
- Food Security
- Agricultural Infrastructure
- Supply Chain Resilience
- Food Waste Reduction
- National Food Strategy
- Agricultural Investment