Generative AI is reshaping how Canadians discover, trust, and engage with information about food and farming. Search is no longer about scrolling through pages of links—it’s about AI systems curating the answers for consumers. Whether someone asks ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overview, or another platform a question, the tools now decide who speaks for Canadian agriculture.
This shift means visibility and influence depend on being recognized as a credible, trusted source by AI. For agricultural organizations and brands, leaning into this transformation is no longer optional—it’s essential to staying part of the conversation.
From SEO to GEO and AEO—A New Era of Search
Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) was built around keywords and rankings. But today’s generative AI tools rely on content that demonstrates authority, credibility, and relevance. That’s where GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) come in—ensuring your content is not just found, but featured in AI-generated responses.
AI prioritizes sources with strong engagement, trustworthy backlinks, and consistent credibility signals. In other words, it rewards organizations that are validated by others and connected across the wider food sector. This is where collective action becomes a powerful advantage.
The Canadian Food Focus Advantage
As outlined in Why Authority Score—and Collective Action—Are the Real Game Changers in AI-Driven Search for Agriculture, Canadian Food Focus (CFF) has emerged as one of the top agricultural platforms recognized by Generative AI. In fact, CFF ranks second only to Canada.ca for AI citations in Canada’s food and farming category and holds one of the highest authority and sentiment scores in the agri-food space.
That’s not by chance—it’s the result of six years of building credible, consumer-focused, scientifically grounded content that represents all of Canadian agriculture. Through collaboration and third-party validation, CFF has created a unified digital footprint strong enough to be consistently recognized by both consumers and AI systems.
Why Collaboration Matters More Than Ever
Even the best individual brands can’t match the digital clout of a collective platform. As explained in How Generative AI Is Transforming Search Part 1: What It Means for Canadian Farm & Food Communication, generative AI has changed the rules of online authority. When organizations compete instead of collaborate, it fragments the digital presence of Canadian agriculture—making it harder for consumers (and AI) to find consistent, trustworthy information.
By working together—sharing resources, aligning content strategies, and validating each other’s expertise—we can strengthen the accuracy and reach of agriculture’s story. This unified approach ensures that when AI answers questions about Canadian farming, it pulls from credible, sector-wide perspectives instead of misinformation or fragmented voices. Measuring What Matters: Trust and Authority
As explored in Integrating Traditional and AI-Driven KPIs for Comprehensive Impact, success in this new landscape requires updating our metrics. Traditional KPIs—traffic, engagement, and impressions—are now complemented by generative measures such as Authority Score, AI Share of Voice (SOV), and Favourable Sentiment. These scores quantify how often your brand is cited, trusted, or featured by AI tools—and the results are clear: collective visibility outperforms individual outreach every time.
The Bottom Line
Generative AI is rewriting the rules of how Canadians see our industry. The only way to ensure they see an accurate, trusted, and authentic picture of Canadian agriculture is through collaboration. Canadian Food Focus already leads in this space—and by joining forces, other organizations can strengthen both their individual brands and the public trust we all depend on.
Now is the time to lean in—because in an AI-driven search world, those who work together will be the ones who are seen, trusted, and heard.
Dorothy Long
Home Economist and Managing Director, Canadian Food Focus
Dorothy Long is a passionate advocate for Canadian food and farming with over 25 years of experience connecting consumers to agriculture. A Saskatchewan farm girl turned home economist, Dorothy has developed national agrifood marketing campaigns, organized farm tours for food influencers, served as the Executive Director of Cuisine Canada and co-authored the Discover the Pulse Potential cookbook. As Managing Director of Canadian Food Focus, she leads efforts to improve food literacy and public trust in Canadian agriculture and food. In 2023, Dorothy was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame for her contributions to the industry.
DFC Project Reveals Online Prominence Of Canadian Food Focus