CPMA looks to address food loss and waste in produce supply chain

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) is advancing a coordinated, sector-led response to food loss and waste.

The organization said it is focusing on policy, industry collaboration and targeted investment to “unlock environmental and economic value” across the country’s fresh produce supply chain.

CPMA is calling for greater industry-government collaboration to support scalable, impact-driven solutions. 

Priority areas include standardized measurement and reporting frameworks, investment in cold chain, storage, and logistics infrastructure, enhanced incentives for food donation, redistribution, and value-added processing, harmonized date labelling and consumer education and policies that recognize the role of packaging and  innovation in reducing loss. 

CPMA said it will continue to work closely with members and partners to expand the collection and share best practices and industry use cases while supporting pilot projects that demonstrate scalable food loss and waste mitigation and value recovery solutions. 

It also aims to strengthen collaboration across industry, government and solution providers, and advance targeted advocacy efforts to secure the support required to maximize the value of fresh produce surplus. 

“Food loss and waste is one of the most complex challenges facing our sector—but it is also one  of the most important opportunities,” said Ron Lemaire, CPMA president, in a press release. “By working together across industry and government, we can reduce waste, unlock new value, and strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of Canada’s fresh produce industry.” 

Initiatives include CPMA’s member-only report, A Systems Analysis of Food Loss and Waste in Canada’s Produce Sector, released in April, and the launch of its first series of Food Loss and Waste Use Cases, highlighting practical solutions already underway. 

The organization also released its Food Loss and Waste Business Session Podcast from the 2026 Convention and Trade Show in Toronto.