NFU condemns destruction of AAFC organic research assets
On June 9 and 10th 2026, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre proceeded with destruction of the Organic and Regenerative Research Program’s research plots by seeding across the land with wheat, making it impossible to salvage data required to complete studies that were in progress prior the announcement of cuts and closures in January 2026.
This week’s seeding operation obliterated the land boundaries that have been in place for 19 years, a fundamental structure for collecting long-term data from the organically-managed soil layers of this research area. AAFC management did not attempt to retrieve scientifically valid soil samples or other data prior to seeding.
In the House of Commons Question Period on June 9, Swift Current MP Jeremy Patzer asked Minister MacDonald about the destruction of these research assets. In his response, the Minister incorrectly stated that such cultivation and seeding was a normal practice done every year.
In destroying these irreplaceable research assets, AAFC has disregarded universal agriculture sector opposition to the closure of AAFC research facilities and of the organic program, including a May 22 letter signed by 26 farm organizations, numerous petitions presented in Parliament, hundreds of letters from concerned citizens, as well as the unanimous House of Commons Agriculture Committee Report 4: Science in Canadian Agriculture and the Closure of Research Centres which recommends reconsideration of the decision to close the organic program.
When the cuts were announced, the government said there would be a careful, 12-month wind-down period to permit the completion of research in progress, transfer of assets and preservation of data. The destruction of the organic research project lands at Swift Current is a betrayal of those assurances, and deeply disrespectful of Parliament, as it pre-empts the government’s official response to the Agriculture Committee report which has not yet been tabled in Parliament.
The Swift Current organic and regenerative program was successful in securing external funding in addition to the small portion allocated from AAFC’s budget. As a result, AAFC’s actions this week also destroyed valuable long-term investments in the site and research program made by farmers who pay check-offs and other funders who had no say in the decisions that interrupted ongoing work, and have made it impossible to go ahead with commitments for planned organic research.
The Organic and Regenerative Agriculture program at Swift Current has supported farmer-led alternative plant breeding and addresses urgent problems of climate adaptation, reduced-input production, disease issues, and others faced by all farmers, organic and conventional alike. The program held well-attended annual field days to communicate its results to the farming community and other researchers. The Organic and Regenerative Research program is needed to develop and share critical knowledge for a strong agriculture sector, a prosperous economy and Canada’s future food security.
The NFU condemns the destruction of organic research assets at Swift Current and calls for
- An immediate independent audit conducted by an external, non-AAFC agronomic expert to fully document the extent of the damage and loss of data integrity.
- Strict adherence to proper organic management standards on these lands moving forward – supervised by an independent organic certification body – to prevent the use of contaminated equipment or any other conventional practice that would strip the soil of its organic status.
- A formal commitment to a multi-year, supervised remediation process required to rehabilitate the soil structure, address the disruption of biological integrity, and mitigate the damage caused by the loss and mixing of distinct treatment, crop, and soil histories so that valid organic research can safely resume in the future.
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For more information:
Cathy Holtslander, NFU Director of Research and Policy: PH 306-652-9465 or email holtslander@nfu.ca
Phil Mount, NFU Vice President, Policy: PH 343-262-5911 or email VP-Policy@nfu.ca
