Panel Abstract:
Innovations in agricultural biotechnology can drive sustainability and productivity for Canada, unlocking significant economic opportunities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving food security. The University of Guelph’s session will highlight key biotechnology innovations that can potentially transform agriculture, including gene editing, cellular agriculture, and synthetic biology. Canada can become a leader in developing and mobilizing these technologies, but it will require collaboration between government, industry, academia and consumers to strengthen our innovation ecosystem.

Summary of Conversations

The panel explored biotechnology’s role in agriculture’s sustainable future, highlighting economic opportunities, climate change mitigation, and food security enhancement. Discussions emphasized precision fermentation for producing rare ingredients and addressing climate-related crop productivity challenges. The need for skills development and education to foster public acceptance and innovation was underscored. Regulatory agility and the importance of communicating the benefits and impact of biotechnology to consumers and stakeholders were identified as crucial. The panel also addressed the potential for small companies to drive innovation and challenges related to scaling up and commercialization.

Take Away Messages/ Current Status of Challenges

• Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity, necessitating innovative biotechnological solutions.
• Biotechnology, including precision fermentation and gene editing, offers opportunities to enhance crop resilience, create high-value ingredients, and improve food security.
• A significant productivity gap exists between Canada and the U.S. that could be addressed through the adoption of innovative agricultural technologies.
• Consumer acceptance remains a key barrier, driven by misconceptions and negative perceptions of biotechnology and the need for transparent and effective communication of its benefits.
• The regulatory environment, although agile, presents challenges in commercializing biotechnological innovations.
• A skills gap and workforce development needs exist across the agricultural and biotechnology sectors, hindering innovation and competitiveness.
• Access to capital for scaling up and commercialization is a barrier for startups and small companies in the biotechnology space.
• Public engagement and knowledge translation are critical for fostering trust and understanding of biotechnology’s role in agriculture and food systems.

Recommendations/Next Steps

• Prioritize education and public outreach to address misconceptions and promote informed discussions about biotechnology.
• Develop targeted communication strategies that emphasize the economic, environmental, and health benefits of biotechnology to diverse audiences.
• Foster collaboration between researchers, industry, and government to accelerate the development and commercialization of biotechnological innovations.
• Invest in skills development and training programs to build a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation in agriculture and biotechnology.
• Create public-private partnerships to establish scale-up facilities and de-risk the commercialization process for Canadian biotechnology companies.
• Streamline the regulatory process for innovative agricultural technologies to facilitate their adoption and deployment.
• Implement patient capital mechanisms to support long-term investments in biotechnology companies and agricultural innovation.
• Emphasize Intensive Local production strategies with short supply chains