ALBERTA, CANADA (RFD NEWS) — Agriculture and Agrifood Canada confirmed the closure of a handful of research station sites, a move that is part of ongoing federal budget cuts in Canada. RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney says farmers there are already sounding the alarm about what this could mean for the future of ag research.
“There’s a loss of researchers, and it doesn’t mean that somebody isn’t going to pick them up and some of their work can’t continue,” Haney explained. “This is just a major disruptive sort of step change; I guess that has everybody reeling a little bit
Haney said the funding cuts have disrupted ongoing research and trials, noting specifically that a station in Saskatchewan that conducts many breeding trials has been closed. He says farmers near shuttered facilities are also raising questions about crops already in the ground, like winter wheat, and who is responsible for harvesting them.
“Come July, those are questions that have really been unanswered at this point,” Haney continues. “The goal is, here, if Canada is going to be a research and innovation leader, we’re really seeing some challenges to the innovation pipeline with the shutting down of these stations.”
While Canada’s government says it is working to streamline, Haney says communication is the missing piece. He says Canada has not officially addressed the public on the issue, which has led to misinformation.
“A government shutdown impacts all Americans and has serious consequences, including for farmers. It just adds additional uncertainty, disrupts critical services.”
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