Reverse Indian Head closure
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to reverse its decision to close the Indian Head Agricultural Research Farm and keep its research operations and positions intact. The government responds that AAFC will consolidate science activities, relocate the Seed Increase Unit, continue some Indian Head work through 2026, and maintain national research capacity across 17 centres.
Why we would sign this petition
- Preserves local, field-based research that supports farmers testing practices and adapting crops, which petitioners say boosts productivity and resilience.
- Protects about 40 skilled rural jobs and the local economic activity tied to the research site.
- Maintains domestic research capacity petitioners argue is important for food security and long-term agricultural competitiveness.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- AAFC says consolidation is intended to use funds more efficiently and preserve national capacity; opposing the closure could limit reallocation to higher-impact priorities.
- The department plans to relocate the Seed Increase Unit and continue some Indian Head activities through 2026, which may preserve key functions without keeping the site open.
- A mandated expenditure review and fiscal constraints mean reversing closures could be costly and might undermine broader modernization or savings goals.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS the Indian Head Agricultural Research Farm has provided practical, field-based agricultural research for more than a century, supporting farmers with innovations in soil health, crop management, productivity, and risk reduction; and WHEREAS the closure of the Indian Head Agricultural Research Farm will result in the loss of approximately 40 skilled jobs in rural Saskatchewan; and WHEREAS agricultural research farms play a critical role in strengthening Canada's food security, improving on-farm success, and helping producers adapt to changing economic and environmental conditions; and WHEREAS the Government of Canada claims that there are insufficient resources to maintain the Indian Head Agricultural Research Farm despite being able to find billions of taxpayer dollars annually to waste on consultants and ideological programs in other countries; and WHEREAS shutting down domestic agricultural research weakens innovation, increases risk for producers, and undermines Canada's long-term agricultural competitiveness; therefore WE THE UNDERSIGNED, citizens and/or residents of Saskatchewan, call upon the Government of Canada to reverse the decision to shut down the Indian Head Agricultural Research Farm.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Signed by The Honourable Heath MacDonald, PC, MP Through the Comprehensive Expenditure Review exercise, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) was required to identify savings over a three-year period. As a result, AAFC is strategically consolidating its science footprint to use its funds more efficiently in delivering impactful science to Canadian farmers, food processors, and others in the agriculture and agri-food sector. This strategic realignment and consolidation of science activities will allow for the reduction of overhead costs while preserving scientific capacity and maintaining a presence in every province. The Department will maintain its focus on areas of research such as horticulture and field crop production, animal production, food processing, and biodiversity. It will also continue to deliver science with the potential to accelerate innovations in the sector. AAFC will continue to be Canada’s largest agricultural research organization, with 17 research centres and associated farmland across the country, maintaining a strong national footprint while addressing both regional and national priorities, aiming to advance strategic and high-impact science. Closing a research site involves a complex series of decisions that must be carefully worked through. The Department is engaging with research partners and collaborators on the future of active projects with a view to preserving research continuity, to the extent possible. The Seed Increase Unit currently located at AAFC’s Indian Head site will be relocated and as part of the transition, during the 2026 field season, activities related to the Seed Increase Unit and a number of others at Indian Head will continue to operate as planned. AAFC’s commitment to science excellence and sector partnership has not changed and it will continue to invest in research and strengthen collaborations with industry groups, governments, universities and colleges, and other key stakeholders in Canada and internationally.