PUBLIC STATEMENT
The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) are concerned about Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) reductions affecting research farms, facilities, programs and research expertise at Nappan (Nova Scotia), Quebec City (Quebec) and Lacombe (Alberta). We recognize the fiscal pressures facing the federal government; however, the cuts will have far-reaching impacts for cattle producers, the beef industry, consumers and Canada’s efforts to grow the economy and diversify export markets.
In the past decade, Canada’s beef producers increased their own research contributions by over 600%, viewing research as an investment in future economic growth and competitiveness. Public-good research remains essential where market incentives are limited, or independent expertise is required for regulatory, trade and consumer confidence. AAFC’s national capacity is particularly important to maintain in the areas of food safety, carcass quality and grading, and forage breeding and management.
“Canada’s beef producers rely on a stable, high‑performing public research network to deliver the tools, evidence and innovations that keep farms resilient, food safe and our sector competitive,” explained CCA President Tyler Fulton. “When research capacity is lost, it isn’t quickly rebuilt. Cattle producers and the public pay the price for years and even decades.”
Negative Consequences for Beef and Forage Research
Forage is the foundation of the beef industry. Canada cannot have a competitive beef industry or efficiently respond to industry priorities without abundant and productive forages. The capacity to continue building in these vital programs has been lost through the closure of the Lacombe, Nappan and Quebec research stations.
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