Pause Nappan farm closure

AI summary

Petitioners ask Canada to pause closure of Nappan Farm until impacts are disclosed, maintain livestock and forage research capacity, and consult stakeholders. The government responds it will preserve research and continue Nappan forage work in 2026.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Nappan Experimental Farm in Nova Scotia has long supported local farmers and rural communities through federally delivered livestock and forage research, including independent feed-efficiency testing not otherwise available in Atlantic Canada; Families, producers, and workers in Cumberland North depend on this applied research and producer support to strengthen farm viability, rural employment, and the regional economy; Closing the Nappan Experimental Farm would remove trusted, on-the-ground support for producers and 10 weaken regional agricultural capacity at a time of growing economic uncertainty. Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: Pause any closure of the Nappan Experimental Farm until the full impacts on workers, producers, and research programs are publicly disclosed; Maintain equivalent livestock and forage research and testing capacity in Nova Scotia to support farm i families and rural communities; Consult meaningfully with affected workers, producers, and regional stakeholders before any final decision is made.

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. While these changes affect our animal research footprint, AAFC will maintain strong capacity in livestock research delivered through our distributed network of centres. Beef research will continue at AAFC’s Lethbridge and Swift Current Research and Development Centres. Eastern forage breeding will be consolidated and will continue in Kentville. This approach preserves regional relevance and agro-ecological diversity while enabling more efficient use of expertise, infrastructure, and investment. AAFC will continue to be Canada’s largest agricultural research organization, with 17 research centres and associated farmland across the country. Every province will continue to have at least one AAFC research centre, maintaining a strong national footprint while addressing both regional and national priorities. 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. Forage breeding and agronomy research will continue at Nappan in summer 2026 in support of the national dairy and beef industries. Activities include investigating various agronomic and management techniques and evaluation of forage (e.g., high energy alfalfa, annual clovers) and grass genetic material to improve production systems. 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.