AAFC staffing cuts threaten agricultural research capacity and ROI for farmers

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) is deeply concerned by the news that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is eliminating 665 staff positions across the country as part of plans to slash the department’s budget by 15 per cent over the next three years.

“These staffing cuts, and related impacts at AAFC research stations, represent a tremendous loss for Canadian agriculture,” said CWRC chair Jocelyn Velestuk.

“It is a loss of not only expertise and people who have contributed to farmers’ success, but also of agricultural research capacity that is crucial to fuelling innovation and maintaining progress throughout the industry.”

AAFC has long been a key research partner that western Canadian farmers have trusted with significant investment on their behalf, including $19.9 million over three years as part of the CWRC’s current core breeding agreement (CBA) with AAFC. Canadian agriculture’s global reputation for quality and its competitiveness in international markets depends on a robust research network.

The long-term impact these staffing cuts will have and how they will be distributed is not yet clear, but the CWRC is continuing to monitor the situation. CWRC leadership is in communication with AAFC and will continue those discussions.

The CWRC engages in CBAs with AAFC, as well as the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta, investing over $9.5 million per year on behalf of western Canadian farmers. These CBAs, and other investments in public plant breeding in Canada, have generated significant returns for both farmers and the public over the last several decades.