Short-sighted cuts. Long-term harm: Sign today to protect the agricultural research we all depend on!
Posted: March 27, 2026
Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario
The agricultural community was shocked to learn Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) plans to close critically important research facilities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, and to end the Organic and Regenerative Research Program, and to terminate 12% of AAFC personnel – 665 researchers, technicians, and support staff whose experience, knowledge and skills are highly specialized. Farm organizations are unanimous in denouncing these cuts.
Canada’s public agriculture research system dates back to the 1880s when the Experimental Farms were established to do the research needed for farmers to succeed in all parts of our vast country with its wide range of climatic conditions, soil types, disease, weed and pest issues – to work with the growing conditions that exist and develop seed varieties, animal husbandry methods and farming practices to supply Canadians with nutritious food, farmers with reliable incomes, and to support rural and urban prosperity.
In January, AAFC made an extremely backward and short-sighted choice to cut the very research that we need more than ever, as climate change makes growing conditions more precarious, wars and international trade issue threaten supply chains and markets, and rising food prices are causing hardship for more and more Canadians.
The National Farmers Union along with 20 other farm organizations (so far) have signed a joint letter to Agriculture Minister MacDonald demanding immediate suspension of planned cuts to federal agriculture research capacity. We know that agriculture research doesn’t just affect farmers – it affects all of us – so we are inviting your organization to endorse our letter in solidarity. To show your group’s support, read the letter (here and pasted below) then fill in the form at the bottom of this page: https://www.nfu.ca/farm-groups-from-across-canada-oppose-aafc-research-cuts/.
Please share this invitation with other groups that may also be concerned about the impacts of losing vital agriculture research capacity.