Wheat Growers react to new Agriculture Canada priorities – “Agriculture Canada has been ideologically captured” – President

Calgary, AB — (January 17, 2023): The Western Canadian Wheat Growers reacted to news reported in Western Producer that Agriculture Canada has issued new priorities for its research – priorities that do not reflect the needs of the sector or consumers, but instead reflect climate and other goals that could be at odds with agricultural best practices. Agriculture Canada has historically been focused on farming science and practices that could help Canadian farmers and ranchers produce more and better yields and ensure safety and quality for consumers. Now, however, priorities have shifted from those, to mitigating and adapting to climate change, increasing the resiliency of agroecosystems, advancing the circular economy by developing value-added opportunities and accelerating the digital transformation of agriculture and agri-food.

Wheat Growers President Gunter

Jochum reacted to the story and the new priorities today, “This is more evidence that Agriculture Canada is no longer in the business of advancing the productivity of farmers and the success of the sector. These new priorities reflect a department that has forgotten its original mandate and is now focused on external pri- ories that do not benefit farmers or consumers. We fear that this set of priorities, taken together with the government’s recently announced consultations of sustainable agriculture indicate that the department has been ideologically captured, and it intends to try to substitute the scientific and technological skills of farmers, with those of bureaucrats. History has shown that never works. At this point, we have no choice but to reach out to everyday Canadians and warn them that government interference in farming is about to worsen supply chain issues, and further inflate the price of food. None of us can afford for that to happen.”.

— Submitted