Canadian food, beverage sector problems need national solution

Feb 05, 2025

Waking up as a Canadian this morning feels pretty much the same as it did yesterday. The sun still rose and that first cup of coffee tastes just as good.

The difference, of course, is that we’re all a little poorer.

Regardless of whether the U.S. moved forward today with steep tariffs on Canadian imports as threatened or whether they are applied tomorrow or in the future, the Canadian economy is already suffering from crippling tariff fatigue.

In some ways, the uncertainty surrounding the U.S. government’s next move is worse than any financial pain it inflicts on Canadian industry and American consumers. It’s already forcing the hand of companies in Canada’s food and beverage processing sector.

News reports surfaced this week about Canadian-born food companies whose growth depends on expanding sales into the U.S. market. They are now planning to move operations south of the border. That would take jobs and all associated economic activity with them — which is exactly what the U.S. wants.

Barring a concerted and strategic effort on the part of our federal and provincial governments, industry and consumers, the future of our food sector — Canada’s largest manufacturing sector and one pivotal to national security — is about to be kidnapped.

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Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.