Québec Committee – Strengthening bridges for Quebec’s agri-food transition
This fall marked an important milestone for FoodBridge: the first meeting of our Quebec Committee, a space where farmers, advisors, researchers, processors, associations, and government representatives come together to advance the sustainable agri-food transition in Quebec.
The committee serves as a hub for advice and collaboration. Together, we took a moment to look back on the past 18 months of FoodBridge’s projects before welcoming Tori Waugh from the Ontario Soil Network, our long-standing partner. The work of this producer-led network, focused on peer-to-peer learning and soil health, reflects the philosophy that animates our work as well: resilience takes root in shared knowledge and collective action.
The Quebec Committee brings together diverse stakeholders to support and guide FoodBridge’s projects in Quebec, foster the exchange of expertise and strategies, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable and regenerative farming practices. It also works in complementarity with existing initiatives, to maximize synergies, avoid duplication, and strengthen the resilience of Quebec’s agri-food ecosystem.
Discussions during this first meeting focused on three key levers for this transition:
- Technical support, balancing individualized advising and peer learning;
- Conditions that enable companies to prioritize sustainable sourcing;
- The role of research and knowledge transfer in supporting agricultural practice change.
This meeting underscored a simple truth: transforming our food systems ultimately depends on the quality of our relationships and collective work.
A heartfelt thank-you to all members of the Quebec Committee for the depth and richness of the exchanges:
Marie Bipfubusa (CEROM), Benjamin Brasseur (Farinart), Mélanie Brouillard (Farmer), Damien Chaput (MAPAQ – Direction du développement des secteurs agroalimentaires), Amina Baba-Khelil and Magali Delomier (UPA), Yvan Faucher (MAPAQ Montérégie), Samuel Jeanson (Quebec Microbrewery Sector), Étienne Lafrance (Grain Farmers of Quebec), Catherine Lessard (Quebec Vegetable Growers Association), Jean-Pascal Matteau (Université Laval), Catherine Mercier and Cécile Tartera (Groupe Pro-Conseil), William Overbeek (Farmer), Pierre Rémillard (Agrinova), Marlène Thiboutot (Grain Quebec Roundtable), Annick Van Campenhout and Marie-Pierre Lalli (CTAQ).
