Organizations throughout the food value supply chain have jointly written to the federal Agriculture Minister expressing deep concern over recent AAFC research station closures and cuts to public research capacity. The letter warns that these reductions threaten the productivity, competitiveness, and long‑term resilience of Canadian agriculture by disrupting essential research that cannot be replicated by the private sector, especially breeding programs, long‑term agronomy trials, disease screening, meat quality research, food safety work, and regionally adapted crop development.
The groups emphasize that losing research sites risks multi‑year delays in seed and variety development, the breakdown of long‑term datasets, and the erosion of highly specialized livestock, meat science, and environmental research infrastructure. They also note that industry partners were not adequately consulted before these decisions were made.
To prevent long-term damage, the organizations urge AAFC to delay implementation timelines, establish a clear transition framework to protect core research functions, and create a formal industry advisory committee to guide the process.