Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada (AAFC) says organic research plots at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre were being managed using “routine organic methods” when they were cultivated on Thursday—pushing back on concerns the work signals the end of organic research at the site.
In a statement provided Friday, AAFC said the plots “have not been seeded” and are simply being prepared as part of standard organic production practices.
“The organic plots at Swift Current are being prepared using routine organic methods. They have not been seeded,” the department said.
Federal response follows criticism from sector
The statement comes after widespread concern from industry groups and opposition critics, who say cultivating the land risks permanently undermining Canada’s only federal organic and regenerative agriculture research program.
As previously reported, Sask Organics Executive Director Deb Tuchelt said disturbing the plots now compromises ongoing research and eliminates the possibility of properly wrapping up long‑term studies, including soil testing and data collection.
Conservative agriculture critic John Barlow also questioned the timing of the work, noting it took place shortly after they renewed calls to halt planned program closures.
AAFC points to ongoing national research
While not directly addressing whether the Swift Current organic program itself will continue, AAFC emphasized that organic research remains underway across the country.
“AAFC will continue to deliver integrated science through the Organic Cluster and other mechanisms to strengthen the productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness of Canada’s organic sector,” the statement said.
The department added that organic research projects are ongoing at multiple research and development centres nationwide, ranging from Agassiz, British Columbia, to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Questions remain about Swift Current program
The clarification stops short of addressing key concerns raised by stakeholders, including whether the Swift Current organic and regenerative agriculture program will be preserved or relocated.
Earlier this year, the federal government announced plans to end the Organic and Regenerative Agriculture program in Swift Current as part of broader changes affecting several research facilities and satellite farms across Canada.
Industry representatives have argued the Swift Current site is uniquely valuable due to its long‑running organic trials, with some experiments spanning more than a decade. They say once plots are disturbed or reseeded, that continuity — and the data associated with it — is lost.
Calls continue for pause
Sask Organics and other stakeholders continue to call on AAFC to halt further work at the site and engage with the sector on a transition plan that protects existing research.
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