Publications

Canadian Agriculture and Food Research Effectiveness and Competitiveness: A time-series analysis of public & private funding envelopes

This report evaluates the trends in public and private sector investments in agri-food research from 2013 to 2023, with a focus on identifying funding priorities across key research areas. Additionally, the report examines the alignment of research funding with agriculture programs and frameworks defined by the Canadian government. Specifically, it compares the funding priorities during the Growing Forward 2 (GF2) and Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) periods. These two regimes exhibited distinct research funding trends, and this report evaluates the alignment of these funding trends with the programs and strategies outlined under each regime. The report also provides a jurisdictional scan of Research and Development (R&D) policies and programs in selective OECD countries, as well as trends in expenditure in these countries.

 

Monday, March 17, 2025

Sabrina Gulab and Guillaume Lhermie

Simpson Centre Policy Trends: What Regenerative Agriculture can Learn from the Organic Movement

Regenerative agriculture (RA) has gained attention as a new approach to farming that aims to go beyond sustainability. Despite the growing interest, there is no widely accepted definition for RA and that increases the risk for co-optation, hampers promotion and public action, and undermines incentivizing programs for adoption. For RA to realize its promise, it will need to merge with the corporate industrial agrifood system, and it can draw on lessons from the Organic Agriculture (OA) movement to do so.

 

 

 

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Tatenda Mambo, Guillaume Lhermie, and Anaïs Dardier

Enhancing Agricultural Research and Development for Sustainable Growth in Canada

The Canadian agriculture and food sector is an essential contributor to the national economy, providing food for domestic consumption and playing a pivotal role in global food security. However, the sector is increasingly challenged by environmental pressures, including carbon emissions, water scarcity and biodiversity loss. In response, Canada aims to promote eco-friendly practices, increase food security, improve productivity and ensure the agriculture sector’s long-term viability and competitiveness. Despite substantial investments in agricultural research and development (R&D), there remains a lack of comprehensive tracking and alignment between public- and private-sector funding. This report provides a detailed analysis of R&D funding trends, identifies key research priorities and makes recommendations to enhance Canada’s agricultural R&D ecosystem for greater sustainability, productivity and competitiveness.

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Sabrina Gulab and Guillaume Lhermie

A Case for Reinforcing Agri-food Research and Development Spending: Where Does Canada Stand Internationally?

Spending on global agricultural research and development (R&D) increased from $31 billion in 2000 to $47 billion in 2016, highlighting the sector’s critical role in addressing food security, climate adaptation and economic competitiveness. While countries like China, Brazil and Australia have made strategic investments that drive innovation and sustainability, Canada’s agricultural R&D spending has declined significantly, falling from $0.86 billion in 2013 to $0.68 billion in 2022. This reduction has left Canada ranking lowest among the top seven OECD countries in agricultural R&D expenditures, jeopardizing its global competitiveness and resilience.

This policy brief looks at global trends, analyzes Canada’s relative under-performance and proposes strategies to revitalize its agricultural R&D framework.

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Sabrina Gulab and Guillaume Lhermie

Agriculture Policy Trends: Labour Shortage in Alberta Agriculture

Canada, and Alberta in particular, face growing agricultural labour shortages. In 2017, 47 per cent of Canada’s agriculture employers had difficulty finding workers, leaving 16,500 jobs unfilled and $2.9 billion in lost sales. In 2021, employers across agricultural sectors reported labor shortages: 53 per cent in food and beverage manufacturing, 24 per cent in ag-tech, 21 per cent in livestock production and 17 per cent in grain and seed production. In 2022, 62 per cent of agri-business owners reported recruiting challenges, leaving 28,000 jobs unfilled in peak season and $3.5 billion in lost sales. By 2029, an estimated 123,000 Canadian agri-food jobs will go unfilled.

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

Mukesh Khanal

Simpson Centre Policy Trends: Scaling Regenerative Agriculture (RA) in Alberta

Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is gaining traction in Alberta, offering solutions to climate challenges, enhancing soil health, and promoting sustainable farming. This brief explores successes, barriers, opportunities, and policy recommendations to support RA in Alberta.

 

 

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Tatenda Mambo, Ohi Ahmed, Roshanne Sihota, and Anaïs Dardier