The Lacombe Research and Development Centre Closure Response Task Force is welcoming the release of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri‑Food report, Science in Canadian Agriculture and the Closure of Research Centres, which includes a clear recommendation to pause and reverse proposed closures of federal agricultural research facilities, including the Lacombe Research and Development Centre (LRDC).

The Standing Committee’s findings reflect extensive testimony heard from municipalities, researchers, industry partners, and provincial representatives, including evidence provided by Mayor Thalia Hibbs, Reeve John Ireland, and Western Crop Innovations research scientist Lori Oatway.

At the core of the report, Recommendation 19 calls on the Government of Canada to pause and reverse the decision to close agricultural research centres and experimental farms, and to initiate immediate consultations with affected employees, local and provincial governments, research partners, public sector unions, and the Office of the Chief Science Advisor to better understand the scientific and economic impacts of the proposed closures.

For full details, please see the attached media release, or visit our website: www.lacombecounty.com/LRDC.