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By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

a year to complete

‘Not being reconsidered’: More reaction to closure of Lacombe AAFC research centre

Jan 27, 2026 | 4:00 PM

Reaction continues to pour in after Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced this week it will close the 119-year-old Lacombe Research and Development Centre.

The department noted the closure won’t happen immediately, but over the course of the next year.

In addition to the closure of Lacombe’s site, which will affect more than 100 employees, AAFC is closing two other research and development centres in Ontario and Quebec, plus four satellite research farms in Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Initial reaction to the news saw the City of Lacombe and Lacombe County expressing hope that AAFC would reconsider its decision.

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READ MORE: AAFC to shut down Lacombe Research and Development Centre after 119 years

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In a new follow-up statement Tuesday, AAFC spokesperson Cameron Newbigging says, “The decision is not being reconsidered.”

“A full closure of sites cannot occur immediately, as it involves a complex series of decisions that must be carefully worked through. Key among these is determining the future of affected staff, which could involve a range of options in accordance with the workforce adjustment process. In addition, there are operational considerations (such as management of animal herds and crops and moving of equipment) that must be addressed during this period,” he explains.

“At this stage, we anticipate that wind-down of science operations could take up to 12 months, with timelines varying from one site to another depending on specific circumstances.”

Alberta’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation was asked by rdnewsNOW for reaction, and if the provincial government would consider purchasing the site to take it over and continue projects there.

“The federal decision to close these research stations is certainly disappointing, leaving many wondering how this will impact the Canadian and Alberta agriculture and food sectors,” says Garrett Koehler, acting senior press secretary for the ministry.

“It’s still too early to say what the long-term impacts will be, but Alberta will be monitoring developments closely and continuing to advocate for agriculture research. Unbiased, farm-focused research is essential for the agriculture sector’s long-term growth and sustainability.”

Others have chimed in, starting with Canada’s Agriculture Union, which says the organization unequivocally denounces the recent job cuts.

The union represents 2,500 employees who work for AAFC, with more than 600 positions reduced and 1,000 people impacted across all closures.

“These cuts will sabotage important gains we’ve made in agricultural research and set research on Canadian food products back by decades,” says Milton Dyck, national president of the Agriculture Union. “We have been warning the federal government for months about cutting an already-decimated department. There is simply no more room to cut.”

The union notes that while the federal service has grown by 30 per cent in recent years, the same hasn’t been true for AAFC, with staffing decreasing by 14 per cent between 2012 and 2025.

Dyck says the union had no advance notice of the closures, adding that AAFC has an obligation to consult with the union throughout the entire process.

“These cuts at AAFC damage research into the fast-changing needs of the agriculture sector, whether it be changing environmental conditions, development of new varieties of agriculture products safe from disease, or food safety,” he says. “While our partner nation to the south is slashing research, we should not be.”

Then there’s the Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA), which condemns the so-called “dismantling of the science that feeds Canada.”

In their release, it’s noted the United States funds its agri-research service at about $1.6 to $1.8 billion annually, with 90 research locations. Australia invests $3 billion each year, they add.

“This is not trimming bureaucracy,” said Aaron Stein, executive director. “This is Ottawa dismantling the scientific engine that allows Canadian farmers to compete. You cannot talk about food security, climate resilience or export growth while firing the scientists who make all three possible.”

The AFA is calling on the federal government to immediately halt the layoffs, and restore funding, while publicly disclosing which research programs are being eliminated or downsized, and engage western producers to rebuild science capacity.

According to the AAFC Lacombe webpage, there are two projects with outstanding funding at the centre: first, a $57,000 project which began in 2022, looking at canola supplementation of cows in late gestation (ending Oct. 31, 2026); and second, a project worth $253,000 started in 2021 evaluating the economic and agro-ecological merits of diverse cropping sequences (ending March 31, 2026).