Each facility has its own important story to tell about the benefits they provide to the public good, as do the researchers themselves. Additionally, esteemed wheat breeder, Richard Cuthbert’s recent resignation from the Swift Current, Sask., research station, leaves a gap that needs to filled by spring if we want to see improved varieties of wheat continue to excel.

We don’t fully know the effect of all these cuts, but this is one of those times when farmers and citizens need to speak up loudly and demand accountability. It’s not enough to simply shrug shoulders and take the pessimistic “there’s nothing more we can do” approach. That drags us into a complacent and passive individualism; the malaise that got us here in the first place; the mindset that expects cuts to be the future norm.

It would also be a mistake to accept that much-touted “privatization” is the only path forward. The realities are that several Canadian private companies pay a fee for use of these facilities and collectively gain from this work.

Most farmers see the benefit of these government institutions. The results on our farms are evident. We see the creation of new varieties, combined with the growth and nurturing of long-term researchers in the public system, as necessary to combat future challenges in food productivity while ensuring the effectiveness of Canadian farmers, globally and locally.

One major problem is that we track the productivity gains from breeding efforts on a bushel-per-acre basis, but we don’t put the same efforts into tracking other benefits of public plant breeding. Simply put, the work is supported, but the value of it can be difficult to communicate clearly.

When effort is taken to delve into the economic impact, it is impressive. A major study in Saskatchewan from lead author Richard Gray found the following:

• Taxpayer investments of $370.6 million between 1995 and 2020 resulted in a cumulative benefit to the Canadian economy of $11.8 billion.
• Ever single dollar of wheat investment from governments returned $31 to Canadians. When producer contributions through joint funding efforts were factored in, the return rose to over $70.

The study concluded “… these breeding programs should be supported by all parties with the aim of enhancing capacity and sustaining these effective relationships over time.”

This is the sort of information we should be communicating to decision-makers in government, especially at a time where Canada’s sovereign economic interests are at the forefront of the policy agenda. Agriculture and food related research should not be a casualty of mere bean counting (literally).

One critical loss will be the organic program lead by Dr. Myriam Fernandez in Swift Current. It’s been one of the few long-term research programs that addresses the production issues of organic and regenerative farmers in Canada. Just as government is asking farmers to use more climate mitigation practices and improve their environmental footprint, it has slashed one of the few research programs aimed at doing so effectively.

There is much we do not yet know about the microbial activity of soil and how we might leverage those natural activities for our agricultural purposes. This work is knowledge-based. It’s free of bias for profit. It’s extremely hard to replace. I fear these moves similar to the agricultural equivalent of scrapping the Avro Arrow in the 1950s, when Canada was a world leader in aerospace design.

To clarify, these cuts:

1. Ignore important production and unbiased knowledge-based issues because there’s no way to reasonably replace or monetize that work (low return).
2. Fuel the fire for profit motive mechanisms like expensive end point royalties that funnel farmer dollars into hungry investor pockets.
3. Introduce a vacuum to future gains through the loss of programs and researchers that require year in and year out experimental work. Private companies will not pick up that tab. The nation suffers.

The results are like cutting off a farmer’s leg, offering them a shiny prosthetic one, and then charging them a subscription to use it.

We must ensure the decision-makers in Ottawa understand the true cost of this decision, and lobby them to reverse it.

Farmers, it’s time to write those letters. Start with your local MP, and work your way up.

Dean Harder farms near Lowe Farm, Manitoba. He’s a member of the Manitoba regional council of the National Farmers’ Union, and a former director of what was the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association.

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That’s the top priority for corn growers grappling with insect pests like corn rootworm in Ontario, according to officials from Bayer Crop Science, makers of the Dekalb corn hybrids.

Speaking to Farmtario at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2025 near Woodstock, Annemarie Van Wely noted rotation in all its forms is a key tool for growers.

The customer service agronomist, based in western Ontario, said growers in a number of regions of the province are struggling with corn rootworm.

“It’s really important to rotate off of corn if you’re having issues,” she said.

Corn rootworm’s lifecycle requires corn residue for the mating process, making longer corn rotations more troublesome.

Farmers should also rotate mode of action to include below-ground protection against corn rootworm, if their production system and conditions warrant it, she said.

As Bt traits begin to show their age and overuse catches up to them, hitting the pests with a different challenge will help contain them.

Phil Nadalin, a Guelph-based agronomist and customer solutions lead with Bayer said the firm’s new VT4 Pro trait, released this season in two new corn hybrids, aims to give growers a leg up on that challenge.

“You’re getting all that above-ground control, as well as the below-ground control,” he said. “It gives them a one-two punch, to control corn rootworm below the ground, and then control western bean cutworm above ground.”

The two hybrids are DCK094-94 and DC100-01.

The former has been a “real rock star” over the past couple years of testing, Nadalin said.

“If you want yield, this hybrid is doing it for you, especially in the northern part of our area — Oxford, Perth, Huron,” he said.

The latter hybrid hits the 100-day window and similarly seems to be an adaptable crop with solid yield, he said.

For more coverage on corn production issues from the outdoor farm show, look to future print editions of Farmtario.

For more coverage of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2025, see our landing page.

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“A strong, resilient agriculture sector is vital to the health, economy, and security of our entire nation,” said Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie in a statement.

“As Canada faces increasing pressures from international trade tensions, now is the time for strong leadership and bold investment in the competitiveness and resilience of Canada’s agricultural sector.”

The CFA said it’s eager to meet with the new government to advance priorities like supporting farmers through tariff uncertainty, reducing interprovincial trade barriers and improving risk management.

The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) urged Carney’s Liberals to “act swiftly” on capital gains tax reversals and against tariffs from the U.S. and China.

For more election coverage visit the Western Producer’s elections page.

“From rising input costs and global market uncertainty to transportation bottlenecks and regulatory pressures, producers are facing a growing list of challenges that require immediate federal attention,” said GGC Executive Director Kyle Larkin in a Tuesday statement.

“Grain farmers are ready to be an equal partner with government in growing Canada’s economy,” said Larkin.

Grain Farmers of Ontario also reiterating federal policy asks like tax fairness, U.S.-Canada free trade and investments in various agri-food and processing initiatives.

Alberta Grains reiterated eagerness to sit at the table with the federal government. “The current trade environment underscores the need for robust support and advocacy at the federal level,” said second vice-chair Devin Hartzler.

Serge Buy, CEO of the Agri-Food Innovation Council (AIC) said in a statement he believes “there will be stability for the next year or two, even though this was a minority.”

The AIC welcomed proposed Liberal policy like product labelling to encourage consumers to “buy Canadian,” reviews of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

Results see gains for Liberals, Conservatives 

Canada’s Conservative Party fell short of the electoral win projected months ago prior to the resignation of former prime minister Justin Trudeau but still closed the 41-seat gap with the federal Liberals late in the evening April 28. Seat gains came largely from seats swinging away from the Bloc Québécois and NDP. 

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was running second in his Carleton riding and congratulated Carney as he addressed his supporters late last night, suggesting he would remain as the Conservative party leader. 

“My promise to all of you is that anybody from anywhere can achieve anything. Through hard work you can lead a great life and get a nice affordable home on a safe street,” he told his followers to rousing applause. “My purpose in politics is, and will continue to be, to restore that promise.” 

One thing was clear: support for the NDP collapsed. Leader Jagmeet Singh was running third in his B.C. riding at the time of writing and the party was in danger of losing its official party status. 

Late last night Singh addressed his supporters and told them he intended to step down as leader. 

As of this morning, the Liberals won 166 seats, Progressive Conservatives won 144, Bloc Quebecois had 23, NDP had 7 and the Green Party won 1 seat. 

Conservatives dominate west 

The Conservatives maintained dominance in Western Canadian rural ridings, sweeping most of Alberta, and southern regions of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. 

The NDP lost two seats in Manitoba and one of their two in Edmonton to the Liberals, and were also trailing in British Columbia. 

The Liberals broke through in Saskatchewan, as former provincial NDP cabinet minister and long-time MLA Buckley Belanger won the redrawn northern seat of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River, which had been Conservative. The remainder of the province stayed blue, re-electing former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer in Regina-Qu’Appelle and standing agriculture committee member Warren Steinley in Regina-Lewvan. 

In Manitoba, the seven rural ridings remain represented by Conservative members, while in Winnipeg the Liberals were elected or leading in six seats. 

Alberta’s 37 ridings went overwhelmingly Conservative, with the party elected or leading in 35 seats. That includes agriculture critic John Barlow who was re-elected in Foothills. 

Former NDP agriculture critic Alistair MacGregor was running second to the Conservative candidate in his Vancouver Island riding. 

Green Party leader Elizabeth May, who also represents a Vancouver Island seat, was re-elected, as was Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet. 

Eastern Canada election night highlights 

Conservatives dominated most rural ridings in Ontario. 

In Atlantic Canada, Kody Blois (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food under Mark Carney’s short period as prime minister prior to the election) held onto his seat in Kings-Hants, Nova Scotia. Heath MacDonald, a former member of the standing committee on agriculture and agri-food was also re-elected in his riding of Malpeque, PEI. 

In Quebec, agriculture committee vice-chair Yves Perron of the Bloc Québécois was re-elected in Berthier-Maskinongé. Conservative Jason Groleau won the seat for Beauce, replacing former agriculture committee member and fellow Conservative Richard Lehoux, who did not run in the 2025 election. 

Conservative Luc Luc Berthold, former chair of the agriculture committee, also won his seat back in Mégantic-L’Érable-Lotbinière. 

Likewise, Conservative incumbent Liane Rood, also a former agriculture committee member, won her riding of Middlesex-London. 

Conservative Ben Lobb, who sponsored bill C-234, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, won his sixth term in Huron-Bruce. 

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Patty Rosher, who was appointed to the role in February 2021, said things turned south in September 2022 when Agriculture Canada’s director general of human resources informed her that she was being investigated for allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

“I felt queasy. I racked my brain for possible transgressions,” she said in a recent blog she posted on Substack.

The grain commission was contacted for this story but said it does not publicly discuss human resource issues involving current or former employees.

Former CGC chief commissioner Doug Chorney was also contacted but did not respond in time to meet publication deadlines.

Rosher claims she was given a list of 12 transgressions.

The first alleged that she met with external stakeholders and inquired about grain contracts during a vacation in Saskatchewan in September 2021 without advising the commission.

The second was that in February 2022 she asked the commission’s chief grain inspector how cleanliness is assessed in canola and requested confidential information related to dockage levels from harvest sample and export data.

Rosher noted that grain contracts were a hot topic at the time due to a crop failure.

“Some farmers were speculating that canola was coming off the field cleaner than it was getting loaded onto ships and were questioning the CGC’s oversight,” she said in her blog.

“How can me looking into these issues be inappropriate?”

Rosher did not detail the other 10 allegations but said that in January 2023 she received the preliminary findings of an investigator’s report showing that all the allegations were unfounded.

“Ya, no kidding,” she wrote in her blog.

She received the “heavily redacted” final report in June 2024, noting that 163 of the 211 pages of the report were scanned from Chorney’s notebook.

“On an almost daily basis, he had been making notes about me, ranging from petty observations to wild conspiracy theories to outright misrepresentations of my work ethic and abilities,” said Rosher.

An entry on Aug. 10, 2022, noted that Rosher was dressed in “low quality cotton pants, open toe sandals [sic] and a sleeveless top.”

“I find her to be unprofessional and awkward in public situations,” wrote Chorney.

Rosher alleges that her relationship with Chorney was strained almost from the beginning. The two parties agreed to mediation in early 2022, she said, but the process failed.

She further pondered where her employer was throughout the dispute.

The grain commission’s human resources department refused to meet with her, directing her to instead meet with Agriculture Canada’s human resource department, she further said.

Rosher claims she has been in a “mostly one-sided” email exchange with Agriculture Canada since June 2024. The department keeps promising to respond but never follows through.

She contacted the Privy Council’s Office and says she was told the organization is not mandated to provide support to individual governor-in-council (GIC) appointees.

She hired a lawyer but was told there are no possible avenues of redress.

She also claims that she is unable to file a workplace harassment complaint because as a GIC appointee, she was not considered an employee of the grain commission.

Rosher could file a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission but said gender discrimination would be hard to prove.

She claims the the grain commission’s investigation was deeply flawed and wonders if it played a role in her unsuccessful bid to become chief commissioner in the summer of 2024.

“It couldn’t have helped,” said Rosher.

Former assistant commissioner claims harassment at Canadian Grain Commission

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Canadians will be at the polls no later than Oct. 20. With recent news of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation, it could be significantly sooner than that.

Why it matters: Carbon pricing, recent labour stoppages and international trade top Canadian agriculture’s interests going into the next election cycle.

Tyler McCann, managing director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), says farmers should manage their expectations on how deeply agriculture will feature.

“I think a lot of people have high hopes for what gets into a platform, and I think that people should go back and look what’s been in past ones and mitigate their expectations for the sector,” he said.

“If there are references to agriculture and food, they’re part of a broader campaign message and direction.”

Agriculture is often an afterthought for the Liberals, he noted, while Conservative policy implications are not always clear either for agriculture.

“If you get into things like … the push to fix the budget and some of the other things that (Conservative leader Pierre) Poilievre is pushing for, what does that actually mean in agriculture context? I don’t know,” he said.

Carbon pricing

Federal carbon pricing is among the top current concerns for Canadian producers, with agriculture citing a lack of green alternatives. It’s also become a main talking point for the opposition Conservatives.

Kyle Larkin, executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada, called it the “number one” issue for Canadian grain farmers.

“Individual grain farmers are paying tens of thousands of dollars on a yearly basis because they’re using natural gas and propane to dry their grain, which is an essential process,” he said.

A carbon price exemption for those fuels is the subject of a private members bill that initially passed the House of Commons, but became mired in the Senate in 2023 and, as of the recent prorogation of Parliament, was back lingering before the House in an amended form.

Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie said producers aren’t opposed to doing their public duty by using more eco-friendly methods, but they have been left with no viable alternatives.

“The purpose of the carbon tax was to change habits to a cleaner economy,” Currie said, “But in agriculture, what are our options if we can’t use fossil-based fuels for heating our homes and our livestock facilities, our shops and for powering our equipment and running our grain dryers?” Currie said.

“We’re being penalized… unfairly, without the opportunity to change our habits, because there’s nothing to change to.”

Currie added that industry needs “to have an understanding on how a government, you know, after the next election in particular, is going to handle the border carbon adjustments that are coming down the road for agriculture,” he said.

Capital gains

Several industry stakeholders pointed to changes to the capital gains tax.

Larkin called it the second priority for the industry.

“The Liberals have been very clear that they’re going to keep forging ahead on that,” he said. “The Conservatives have said that they’re going to do a whole review of the tax system, which will include stakeholders like farmers.

“We’re looking forward to getting involved in a process like that because, for us, it’s not just the capital gains tax, it’s the whole suite of taxation that impacts farmers.

He also argued that “97, 98 per cent of our operations are family-owned and operated. That capital gains piece is really key to helping with that succession planning and that transition into the next generation of farmers.

“The other aspect of taxing is a capital cost allowance, and we’re asking for that 100 per cent exemption on the first year for farmers.”

Labour

Agricultural concern over labour issues comes in two flavours: the lack of it, and the disruptive nature of strikes and lockouts.

A string of disputes ranging from meat processing to railways and ports all concerned industry in 2024.

“I think we often think about it in the context of Western grain farmers, but it’s not just that,” McCann said. “It is kind of any part of the sector that relies on transportation to move food, which is really everybody.”

He said labour is one area where agriculture often feels the impacts of larger changes.

Larkin said the next government must address labour issues as soon as possible.

“In no way can Canada continue having major labour disruptions, especially at our railways or at our ports on a monthly or yearly basis,” he said. “That’s what grain farmers have been experiencing.”

“We’ve had nine stoppages in the last six years,” Currie added.

Recent threats to the Temporary Foreign Worker program also have some groups concerned.

Lauren Kennedy, director of public affairs for the Chicken Farmers of Canada, said a reduction of labour in processing could have negative downstream effects on producers.

Rail rules

Interswitching, which allows one railway to operate on another railway’s track for a set distance, is another concern, especially for Western Canadian farmers.

Prairie grain growers are the primary farm stakeholders there, with the two major railways having little overlap. Farm groups argue that leaves their members as captive customers.

“What we’re looking for during the election is a commitment on a permanent, extended interswitching,” Larkin said.

He also hopes to see it expanded to 500 kilometers, “so we capture all grain farmers across the Prairies and also expanded to British Columbia.”

Currie said the CFA is looking for an extension to the 18-month interswitching pilot, which was greenlit in 2023.

“We’d like to see that program extended into maybe a three-year or beyond program,” he said.

Sustainability recognition

Several sources said they would like to see parties recognize the sustainability efforts of the Canadian ag sector.

Larkin referred to Canadian grain farmers as “the most sustainable in the world.”

“We need to recognize them for the advancements that they’ve made through zero-till and through cover cropping and through other means.

“Right now, they’re not necessarily being compensated or even spoken about in a positive light,” he said. “So I think that’s a big thing we’re looking for the election is, let’s start talking the good story that already exists.”

Kennedy also said she would like broader recognition for the positive changes made by Canadian chicken farmers. She said legislation like Bill C-59, which would bring broader greenwashing claim consequences, has the potential to hinder that.

Supply management and trade

The outcome of the recent U.S. election has fast-tracked several issues to the forefront in Canadian politics, particularly relating to trade.

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened Canada with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs. He has previously said he will renegotiate the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

This could have major consequences for Canadian producers.

“We’re already in a difficult situation,” Larkin said. “The last thing we need is another trade irritant, especially for our largest trading partners.”

McCann said Trump’s approach to the CUSMA renegotiation will set the stage for ag policy decisions over the next two years.

He added that this would create a dynamic where Canadian producers are not able to set their own course; “instead, we’re either reacting or dealing with the transactional issues that are in front of the sector.”

In the chicken sector, Kennedy said continued support for supply management is the most important thing.

Biosecurity

Animal diseases like African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) are among the current disease worries for livestock producers

Kennedy said chicken farmers don’t have enough access to antimicrobials or alternatives like feed additives.

“We continue to advocate to the federal government, and again, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, just in terms of reducing those administrative fees and cost of entry fees,” she said.

She added that biosecurity and the threat of outbreaks are issues governments should be taking more seriously.

“We just look to the government to continue to invest in CFIA resources when it comes to animal disease outbreaks so that we have that support when need be,” she said.

Broader Issues

Other main campaign issues could spill over to affect producers.

“A lot of our issues aren’t housing, they’re not health care, they’re not kind of that top three or top four up there,” Larkin said. “But a lot of them, when you dig down into them, there are impacts on grain farmers.

“Canada’s economy and profitability, those are issues that grain farmers are dealing (with) on a daily basis.”

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“We are doing everything we can to make sure Canadian farmers can continue to access their agricultural news and production information during the mail service disruption,” said Laura Rance-Unger, Glacier FarmMedia executive editor.

Our publication’s digital editions are now freely available online. You can access them here.

You can select the edition you want to review and click on that link, then on the front page of the publication that appears. A reader will then open and you will have access to the full publication, and the ability to turn virtual pages. When you see a story you want to read, click on it and a reader window will open. When you’re done reading the story click on the close button at the top right, and you’ll be back to the same edition.

In the event of a prolonged mail disruption, we will look to make physical copies of available for free pickup at designated location. We will provide specific locations as they are available on the digital edition page.

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Canada’s current agricultural policies are not serving the well-being of the public. Canada’s agricultural program payments and subsidies are not aligned with the government’s dietary guidelines and health goals.

Very few agriculture investments go to the production of fruits and vegetables, even though Canadians under-consume them. Instead, financial support overwhelmingly goes to feed crops, agricultural export crops and foods high in saturated fat. This is particularly troubling, given the rise of food and lifestyle diseases in Canada, such as diabetes, obesity, coronary heart disease and high cholesterol.

The health-care costs of diet-related diseases from not meeting the dietary guidelines are at least two per cent of all health-care costs in Canada, with some estimates putting it as high as 19 per cent. Agricultural policy is not just about food; it influences health, the economy and the environment.

Climate change and agriculture

Trying to address greenhouse gas emissions without paying attention to agriculture is like heating your home while not ensuring doors and windows are closed. Agriculture is a big contributor to Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.

As climate change intensifies, bringing more frequent and severe wildfires, droughts, floods, and heat domes , agriculture is being impacted. Instability in weather patterns threatens regional and global social stability and may require Canada to rethink the dominant role of international trade in shaping its current agricultural policies.

Government policies that largely support input-intensive crops and animal agriculture contribute significantly to methane and nitrous oxide emissions and global warming.

Despite these concerns, Canada is not investing strategically or sufficiently in agriculture. Despite $12.5 billion dollars in annual agricultural supports, a surprising portion of Canadian farmers continue to financially struggle to survive. According to the National Farmers Union:

“Over the last three decades, the agribusiness corporations that supply fertilizers, chemicals, machinery, fuels, technologies, services, credit, and other materials and services have captured 95 per cent of all farm revenues, leaving farmers just five per cent.”

In 2016, 66 per cent of all farms in Canada were in the revenue class of $10,000 to $249,999. On average, these farms had expenses exceeding their revenue by a large margin.

While Canada spends a large share of its budget on addressing the negative outcomes of how we produce and consume food, there remain greater opportunities for investing in preventive measures that promote a healthier, more sustainable food system. Canada’s 20th century agriculture policy regime is woefully insufficient for the challenges of the 21st century.

Solutions to the crisis

Transforming our food systems will help to avert devastating climate change and ecological devastation. Many Canadian farmers are already leading the way by incorporating principles of sustainability into their practices. And the good news is that healthy diets are also environmentally sustainable.

Food outlets and school cafeterias can play a role in reducing inefficiencies in the food system, like food waste, and improving sustainability by promoting healthy eating. To make this happen, schools need more resources and autonomy to counter misinformation about food and position Canadians for success by making healthy choices attractive.

Many Canadians support local, bioregional food systems as an alternative to anonymous, transnational food systems. However, these local initiatives are not enough on their own to meet our health, community vitality and environmental goals.

To truly make an impact, local food movements must be part of a larger, co-ordinated effort supported by policies that align agricultural production with healthy diets.

A new approach to food policies that considers them from a holistic perspective, beyond GDP, and respects farmers while creating food systems based on the One Planet and One Health frameworks is needed.

It’s important to recognize that farmers are not only just business operators; they are our neighbours, and are integral to our communities. Supporting them with better policies and giving everyone equitable access to nourishing and sustainable foods will ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all Canadians.

Canada needs to provide stronger support for family farms practising agroecologically sound production methods. Government programs that support greater production and purchasing of grains, fruits and vegetables for direct human consumption are also needed. These initiatives would reduce Canada’s reliance on imports of these critical foods.

In addition, federal and municipal governments should strengthen and broaden Canada’s bioregional food systems while also fostering the growth of small- and medium-sized food businesses. It’s also important to reduce the political and market power of oligopolies in Canada’s food system.

A call for change

None of these changes can happen without moving beyond the current, outdated productionist model that views agriculture in isolation and relies on the belief that only global-industrial food systems can feed the world.

In fact, smaller-scale agroecological farmers operating in bioregional food systems are key. Achieving our broader societal goals means thinking of food through agriculture, human health and environmental sustainability lenses.

Canada needs a new vision of agriculture that connects health and environment goals with sustainable diets and prosperous family farming. This vision must prioritize nutritious diets, human and environmental health, and the overall well-being of society beyond profits, market share and food exports. Also it must be formed collectively by decision-makers, farmers, food processors, community groups and the public.

In Canada, governments, organizations and citizens must work together to create a food system vision for Canada, much like Food Secure Canada’s Resetting the Table process previously did.

Further collaboration among agriculture, environment and health professionals can arise from these efforts, as can be seen with Canada’s National School Food program, which is aligning local farmers and suppliers of local options to meet Canada’s Food Guide. This is also an opportunity for Canada’s Food Policy Advisory Council to gain greater influence in shaping policy.

Just as calls for health-care reform often focus on improving services, Canadians have the right to expect better outcomes from agricultural subsidies. By prioritizing economic, environmental and public health sustainability, Canada can ensure its agricultural policy is fit for its 21st-century food system.

— Kathleen Kevany and Talan B. Iscan are researchers at Dalhousie University. Howard Nye is a researcher at the University of Alberta, and Mark Kent Mullinix is director of the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

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