Calgary, AB | The Western Canadian Wheat Growers reacted to news reported in Western Producer that Agriculture Canada has issued new priorities for its research – priorities that do not reflect the needs of the sector or consumers, but instead reflect climate and other goals that could be at odds with agricultural best practices.
Agriculture Canada has historically been focused on farming science and practices that could help Canadian farmers and ranchers produce more and better yields and ensure safety and quality for consumers. Now, however, priorities have shifted from those, to mitigating and adapting to climate change, increasing the resiliency of agro-ecosystems, advancing the circular economy by developing value-added opportunities and accelerating the digital transformation of agriculture and agri-food.
Wheat Growers President Gunter Jochum reacted to the story and the new priorities today, “This is more evidence that Agriculture Canada is no longer in the business of advancing the productivity of farmers and the success of the sector. These new priorities reflect a department that has forgotten its original mandate and is now focused on external priories that do not benefit farmers or consumers. We fear that this set of priorities, taken together with the government’s recently announced consultations of sustainable agriculture indicate that the department has been ideologically captured, and it intends to try to substitute the scientific and technological skills of farmers, with those of bureaucrats. History has shown that never works. At this point, we have no choice but to reach out to everyday Canadians and warn them that government interference in farming is about to worsen supply chain issues, and further inflate the price of food. None of us can afford for that to happen.”
About the Wheat Growers
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is a voluntary farmer-run advocacy organization dedicated to developing public policy solutions that strengthen the profitability and sustainability of farming, and the agricultural industry as a whole. For more information, please visit: wheatgrowers.ca. Click here to see who is helping to advocate for grain farmers.
For media requests please contact:
Morten Paulsen
1-403-399-3377
mpaulsen@wheatgrowers.ca