Advocacy and Policy
Research & Stewardship
We are committed to advancing the sustainability of Canadian grain farmers, recognizing them as key solution providers in building a resilient agricultural future. Our advocacy focuses on supporting policies that enhance farm productivity while promoting soil health, improving water management, and protecting local ecosystems.
Proven environmental leaders, Canada’s grain farmers continuously advance sustainable practices. Most notably, from 1997 to 2017, farmers reduced their emissions intensity by more than 50% and continue to drive that progress today.
Key Issues
Emissions-Based Financing
We remain opposed to any policy or legislation that would tie access to farm financing to emissions-based criteria. These kinds of measures risk undermining farmers’ ability to secure the capital they need to grow food and invest in their operations.
Canadian grain producers have been actively implementing innovative sustainable practices for decades, and any framework that penalizes them financially for emissions threatens both food security and innovation in the sector.
Expand Public and Private Plant Breeding Research
Breeding activities provide farmers with higher-yielding varieties, improved nutrient use efficiency, reduced pesticides needed, and a better ability to withstand pest, disease, and climate stressors.
However, Canada continues to fall behind international competitors in investments in agriculture research & development. To reverse the current decline in public research, the government should invest more dollars in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) crop breeding programs and ensure an adequate representation of research sites remain open.
For crops that rely more heavily on private breeding, the government should leverage public-private partnerships such as AgriScience clusters.
We continue to advocate for renewed federal investment in public research and a regulatory environment that enables private-sector innovation to strengthen the foundation of Canada’s grain sector.
