Press Release: Government must act on committee report unanimously calling for reversal of AAFC cuts

May 7, 2026

Ottawa, ON — May 7, 2026 — SeedChange is calling on the federal government to urgently act on the recommendations of a report tabled in Parliament yesterday: halt cuts affecting AAFC research capacity, restore investment in organic and public plant breeding programs, and support long-term, public-interest agricultural research.  

“These recommendations confirm what SeedChange — alongside farmers, scientists, and sector leaders — presented to the Committee,” said Aabir Dey, Director of SeedChange’s Canadian Program. “The federal government must act before critical research capacity and field work are lost forever.”

The report calls on the federal government to reverse recently-announced cuts to agricultural research centres and capacity by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The report further recommends that the government reconsider its decision to cancel the organic and regenerative research program at Swift Current. The recommendations were put forward by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, with support from all parties. 

The program at Swift Current is Canada’s only dedicated organic systems research program within AAFC, offering unique opportunities for critical research in organic and low-input systems. Trials planned for this year included supporting SeedChange’s long-term, farmer-led, organic grain breeding program.

“Programs like Swift Current are not easily replaced,” said Sarah Preston, Prairie Regional Program Manager at SeedChange. “Losing it would mean losing decades of scientific knowledge and research that farmers rely on — and once that’s gone, it cannot simply be recreated.”

SeedChange, together with others from the organic sector, submitted a brief warning that federal reductions to the AAFC research centres and the organic program would weaken Canada’s capacity to support a resilient, public-interest agriculture system. 

While those views were clearly heard by the Committee, the real test will be how the government turns them into action. SeedChange is calling for a concrete plan within the 120-day response period to reverse the cuts and reinvest in long-term public-interest agricultural research in Canada.

“These recommendations are an important and welcome step, but they do not guarantee action on their own,” said Dey. “These research programs are essential to food sovereignty and Canada’s ability to maintain a resilient, public-interest agricultural system, and they must be preserved.”

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About SeedChange
SeedChange is a Canadian nonprofit organization advancing seed diversity, public plant breeding, and farmer-led innovation to support organic, climate-resilient, and equitable food systems across Canada.

Media Contact:
Jacqueline Stein
Communications Manager
SeedChange
jstein@weseedchange.org