Two-decade Old Organic & Regenerative Research Program at Swift Current Terminated
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A Statement from SaskOrganics-June 15, 2026 On May 28 and June 9th, the established organic research plots associated with the two-decade old Organic & Regenerative Research Program at the Swift Current Research & Development Centre were cultivated and seeded, erasing multi-year plot boundaries, mixing layers of soil and rendering it impossible for any soil testing that would wrap up its current organic research projects to produce accurate or meaningful results. AAFC has maintained that the land has been managed organically, in both the tillage and seeding events, noting their intention to keep the land under organic management. If AAFC recognizes the value that organically managed land provides, we struggle to understand their decision to terminate the well established nationally significant program in the first place, that operates on very minimal cost, has a dedicated research team with the necessary knowledge and expertise to continue and deliver meaningful, producer focused research and extension work to our sector and the larger agricultural sector, both in Saskatchewan and beyond. The true value is in a long-term program in its entirety, not the potential of isolated projects that may or may not happen down the line. Given the program’s uniqueness, alignment with AAFC priorities, the support of a variety of organizations that see value in diversified research, and limited apparent operational savings potential, it is difficult to understand the rationale for closing this program. The Swift Current Research and Development Centre itself remains operational, meaning this decision does not appear to achieve meaningful facility consolidation or “bricks and mortar” savings. The scientific merit of the Organic & Regenerative Research program stems from its two decades of integrated organic management characterized by continuous trials, long-term crop rotations, and extensive datasets under strict scientific oversight. Furthermore, its value to the agricultural sector is driven by a strong history of producer-led research priorities and community extension efforts including field days, workshops, and publications, which have been deeply valuable to our members and other producers. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food issued unanimous all-party recommendations calling on the Government of Canada to reconsider the decision to cancel the Organic and Regenerative Research Program at Swift Current, table an action plan for affected agricultural research, and pause and reverse agricultural research closures announced in January. There were also multiple calls, petitions, and letters from producers, researchers, sector organizations, stakeholders, and funders to reconsider the Organic & Regenerative Research Program’s cancellation. Irreversible decisions affecting this long-term research program should not have proceeded before the government has tabled its response to the committee’s report. The Organic and Regenerative Research Program was the only dedicated organic research program operated by AAFC in Canada. For nearly two decades, it supported practical, regionally adapted research on soil health, weed and pest management, disease suppression, fertility management, crop rotations, low-input production systems, agronomic resilience, crop diversification, greenhouse gas mitigation, cover cropping, and climate adaptation. This work benefits not only organic farmers, but also conventional and low-input or regenerative producers seeking solutions to rising input costs, climate variability, soil degradation, and market uncertainty. Saskatchewan farmers need answers as to how organic research priorities will be addressed going forward. Government officials must work with the sector to find a longer-term solution for what continued organic research will look like at Swift Current and across the country. Even though the damage to this program as we know it has already been done, there is still time for the Minister to reverse course on the decision to close the program. If the land can be rehabilitated, there is strict adherence to responsible organic management practices on these lands moving forward, and there is qualified research capacity at the facility to perform activities and oversee meaningful organic research, an organic program could still be possible in the future. We urge producers and stakeholders to contact their MPs and voice opposition to the destruction of Canada’s only dedicated federal organic research program, and call for a reversal of this decision and the full restoration of the program's capacity. We also encourage you to support and amplify the efforts of MPs who are calling for the cuts to agricultural research capacity across the country, including this program, to be reversed. Background: The Strategic Value of Canadian Organics
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