A provincial group representing organic farmers says the layoffs and closure of research sites at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) have a major impact on the organic farming community.
AAFC is reducing its workforce by 665 positions and closing several research sites across the country, including ones at Scott and Indian Head. Federal departments were tasked with finding 15 per cent savings over three years as part of a government mandate to reduce spending on operations.
President of SaskOrganics Will Oddie says one of the most significant losses was the Organic and Regenerative Research Program, led by Dr. Myriam Fernandez at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre.
A statement from SaskOrganics points out Dr. Fernandez' body of work over 19 years, including research that addressed "diversified cropping systems to enhance sustainability, the impacts of tillage intensity on weed management, cover cropping and living mulches, pathogens and disease in organic field crops—including the discovery that fusarium head blight is almost non-existent in organic fields, intercropping systems, biocontrol of pests resulting from organic practices, greenhouse gas emissions in organic agriculture, evaluation of farmer-bred and heritage wheat lines under organic management, grasshopper control options, and more."
SaskOrganics called the closure "short-sighted and counterproductive".
"In addition to its research contributions, the program played a vital role in knowledge transfer. Regular organic and low-input field days and industry events created opportunities for producers to learn, ask questions, share experiences, and build networks across the sector." the group added. "For prairie organic producers, Dr. Fernandez’s program was a cornerstone source of credible, regionally relevant research."
Oddie says other than the work in Swift Current, there isn't much organic research out there as "it often depends where individual researchers are and how they choose to carve out their niche in the research world."
Another reason why the cuts have a major impact on the organic community, Oddie said, is because the organization is not like the Crop Development Commissions. Whereas commissions can charge producers a mandatory, refundable levy, as per the Agri-Food Act, 2004, and use those dollars toward research, SaskOrganics is a not-for-profit organization and raise the majority of their funds through sponsorship and other means.
"So that puts us at a disadvantage, and, therefore, any of the public things, like the one in Swift Current, is the research that's being done related to organics. So when it's gone, it's gone." Oddie said.
"We hold public events. There have been some grants over the years that have been available for us to put on certain kinds of programs…basically, all these things have to be moneymakers in order for us to maintain the single staff person that we have."
Oddie says the program at Swift Current shouldn't have been cut at all.
