CGC, CPC, and SIP warn that federal research reductions threaten long‑term innovation, livestock productivity, and Canada’s global competitiveness
The Grain Growers of Canada (CGC), the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), and Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) are expressing serious concern following recently announced staff reductions and facility closures or consolidations within Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada (AAFC).
The groups warn that the cutbacks could have long‑lasting consequences for Canadian agriculture, from diminished research capacity to weakened international competitiveness.
CGC says it needs a clearer understanding of the implications of the federal government’s decisions before any assessment of downstream impacts can be made. The organization stressed that producers and research partners are currently operating without essential information.
“Transparency is essential when decisions affect the foundation of Canada’s agricultural research system,” said Scott Hepworth, chair of Grain Growers of Canada and Saskatchewan grain farmer.
“Without clear disclosure of what research capacity is being reduced or eliminated, the sector cannot understand the long-term risks to production and competitiveness,” he added. “It must be clear what capacity is being lost, where, and with what consequences.”
AAFC has cited personnel confidentiality as the reason for not sharing more detailed information about where and how capacity will be reduced. CGC, however, maintains that this reasoning is insufficient.
“Personnel confidentiality is not a barrier to clarity on program impacts,” Hepworth said. “Clarity of affected programs, facilities, and research capacity is both possible and necessary.”
According to CGC, the scale and pace of the reductions have heightened anxiety across the grain sector, particularly around the fate of applied breeding programs, agronomic research, long‑term datasets, and regional expertise—all critical pillars of Canada’s innovation pipeline. Producers warn that once lost, such capacity is nearly impossible to rebuild.
“The absence of clear information shifts risk directly onto the sector,” Hepworth said. “When institutional knowledge is lost, long-term datasets are broken, or regional research expertise disappears, those losses cannot simply be reversed, and the consequences will be felt long after these decisions are made.”
CGC emphasized that timely, detailed communication is urgently needed. Early clarity about which facilities and programs are affected would allow producer organizations and research partners to plan accordingly, mitigate disruption, and safeguard ongoing research cycles.
Livestock Sector Shares Similar Concerns
On Friday, both the Canadian Pork Council and Swine Innovation Porc echoed the grain sector’s alarm.
“Yes, fiscal restraint is a reality, but reducing federal livestock research capacity represents a cut to critical investments and would have long-term risks to producers, the agri-food system, and Canada’s science-based decision-making credibility and food security,” says a jointly issued media release.
SIP highlighted that it coordinates national, producer-driven research investments that depend on federal facilities to deliver public-good outcomes. Such outcomes require independent expertise, long-term infrastructure, and national coordination—resources they say are currently at risk.
Several SIP‑supported projects are already facing uncertainty because they are based in AAFC facilities threatened by closure or funding reductions.
One high‑profile example is the Swine Cluster 4 pork quality project, led by AAFC Lacombe. The research focuses on the genetic and carcass characteristics that determine pork belly quality—now one of the most valuable cuts in the industry. The project depends on federal expertise and infrastructure to collect the large‑scale carcass and genetic data needed to support balanced genetic selection, enhance pork quality, and maintain Canada’s competitive position in global markets.
“Specialized livestock research capacity cannot be quickly rebuilt once lost,” continues the CPC and SIP release. “The weakening of this capacity will raise concerns about Canada’s ability to sustain coordinated science-based research that supports market access, value creation across the supply chain, and public confidence in Canadian food production.”
Read the article: AAFC cuts hitting seven research sites