BY: Scott Hepworth, Chair, Grain Growers of Canada
Canada’s grain sector is built on innovation. Advances in plant breeding, crop management and agronomy have enabled farmers to grow more with less, strengthen resilience to weather extremes and meet the expectations of domestic and international markets. For decades, a strong public agricultural research system delivered consistent productivity gains across Canadian agriculture.
That foundation is now being tested.
As global competition intensifies and production risks grow, public investment in agricultural research hasn’t kept pace with inflation, rising input costs or the increasing complexity of scientific work. Core funding has stalled, research capacity has been stretched, and the long-term innovation pipeline farmers rely on is showing clear signs of slowdown.
The numbers are telling. Canada’s total public agricultural research and development spending declined from $860 million in 2013 to $680 million in 2022. Today, Canada ranks seventh among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries for agricultural research and development investment intensity. Over the same period, agricultural productivity growth slowed to roughly one per cent per year, down from nearly two per cent in previous decades. These trends point to a research system that’s no longer delivering innovation at the speed farmers and markets demand.
What Does this Mean for You
For pulse and soybean producers, the consequences are felt directly in the field. Crop development and management research supports higher yields, better nutrient efficiency, reduced pesticide use and stronger tolerance to drought, heat and disease. These advances translate into greater farm profitability, improved risk management and stronger export competitiveness. Without steady research investment, producers face rising uncertainty and fewer tools to adapt to changing conditions.
Research turns emerging risks into practical solutions on farms, a unique and irreplaceable role in delivering these outcomes. It supports long-term, pre-commercial work that private investment alone often cannot justify. Research into disease resistance, soil health, nitrogen fixation and region-specific agronomic practices benefits the entire sector and reinforces Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality crops. The return on investment is clear. Public investments in wheat breeding alone generate more than $30 in economic benefits for every taxpayer dollar invested, demonstrating the broad value of agricultural research to the economy.
Despite these returns, Canada’s research system faces deeper structural challenges. Public agricultural knowledge generation has declined by approximately 15 per cent since 2010, reflecting reduced scientific capacity and limits on collaboration. Aging infrastructure, outdated laboratories and barriers to hiring and retaining skilled researchers are constraining innovation and making it harder to attract new talent.
Future Impact
These pressures are expected to intensify. In the 2025 federal budget, the government announced up to 15 per cent in budget reductions to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada over three years as part of broader efforts to reduce spending and realign programs. These cuts are expected to affect research, operations and scientific capacity, including the winding down of initiatives such as the Agricultural Climate Solution – Living Labs.
At Grain Growers of Canada, we’re advocating for a renewed federal approach to agricultural research that supports farmers and strengthens the broader economy. We believe research policy must be focused on outcomes and long-term value. Research should be designed with producers’ needs at the forefront, ensuring public investments deliver practical, on-farm results. Barriers to hiring and collaborating with public researchers must be addressed, and funding should prioritize efficient, outcome-driven crop breeding and agronomic research.
Equally important is rebuilding Canada’s agricultural research capacity for the future. Modern facilities, updated equipment and stable funding are essential to attract skilled researchers and ensure innovation continues to reach farms. With global competitors accelerating their investments in agricultural research, Canada cannot afford to fall further behind. Reinvesting in agricultural innovation isn’t only critical for grain, pulse and soybean producers, it’s essential to maintaining Canada’s productivity, competitiveness and reliability in global markets.