Photo: Lacombe County Reeve John Ireland and City of Lacombe Mayor Thalia Hibbs speak to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in Ottawa Feb. 26 regarding the proposed closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre. Screenshot

Concerns that proposed research centre closure too hasty

The Government of Canada’s recent proposal to close an important central Alberta agricultural research facility could affect not just this region but farmers across the province and nation, said two municipal leaders and a scientist.

Lacombe County Reeve John Ireland and City of Lacombe Mayor Thalia Hibbs have been working to reverse the federal government’s decision since it was announced in January. Ireland said when he heard about the proposal one thing struck him more than anything. “Disbelief, I suppose,” said Ireland by phone Mar. 3.

Ireland said his shock was compounded by the fact the Lacombe Research and Development Centre has been working for farmers in central Alberta for so long. He said some trimming is understandable in tough times but closure caught him off guard. Ireland noted the federal government in an effort to control spending asked all its ministries to trim 15 per cent from spending and the research centre appears to be a victim of this. It also appears the intent was to have only one research centre in each province so a Lethbridge-area one was spared.

“The argument we made is it’s two entirely different soil types and climate types,” said Ireland of southern and central Alberta. “You’re trying to reconcile one over the other. It’s apples to oranges.”

Ireland, himself a producer who farms very close to the Village of Alix, said agricultural research in Canada has been under siege for years as it has been cut 14 per cent since 2012 so it does not appear to be a black hole for tax dollars.

Ireland and Mayor Hibbs both recently spoke to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food Feb. 26 about the proposed closure and Ireland felt he made his point. “I was pleased with it,” said the reeve. “I thought we were warmly welcomed and the committee was attentive. They were listening,” while Ireland pointed out the committee only gathers public input while the centre’s fate is in other hands.

Ireland said he tried to point out the return on investment from Lacombe’s research facility is enormous, anywhere between $10 for every $1 spent up to $100 for every $1 spent. Considering the huge impact agriculture has on Canada’s economy, Ireland said closing the Lacombe facility seems shortsighted.

Ireland observed that farmers can handle a lot of misfortune like disease, drought and pests but geo-political decisions like this one are beyond their ability to cope with.

He pointed out research gives birth to the agriculture of the future. “Without research that product tends to slag off,” added Ireland.

Mayor Hibbs noted the closure proposal also blindsided her. “It came as a great shock,” said Hibbs by phone Mar. 3, adding there was no indication the centre’s future was in question and that information was not coming through the most direct channels. “We were wholly reliant on what was slowly being reported on the news,” added the mayor.

Hibbs said the potential effect of the announcement hit home: over 100 families employed at the centre who live and work in Lacombe, shop, volunteer and send their kids to school. “There’s a ripple effect,” she said.

The City and County of Lacombe, which Hibbs noted have a strong relationship, immediately struck a task force dedicated to raising awareness of the centre’s proposed closure with the goal of identifying every possible avenue of advocacy including at the site and the agriculture industry and other levels of government.

Hibbs agreed with Ireland about the centre’s importance to central Alberta farmers as it provides critical research on these soil conditions and similar conditions in other parts of Canada. Hibbs said Alberta’s agriculture industry has a reputation for quality and with fewer breakthroughs led by research that reputation is at risk.

Western Crop Innovations, a private not-for-profit research lab in Lacombe, has worked closely with the government research centre for years. Lori Oatway, research scientist crop quality, said the close working relationship between government and private labs helps the industry. She has 35 years of experience in the industry and all of it has involved working with federal departments. Oatway said labs exchange information, skills, experience and data back and forth to improve crops, cattle and other parts of the agricultural industry.

Oatway also presented to the Commons committee and said it seemed concerns about diminishment of research capability were taken seriously. “I think they’re getting a much better idea,” said Oatway by phone Mar. 3.

In a worst case scenario and the Lacombe centre is closed Oatway noted there will be holes left in the industry which she felt industry would be expected to fill although industry may not be able to fill them. Oatway observed that even if the federal government walks away from research itself it may still have to fund research to a certain extent.

Mayor Hibbs noted that when speaking to the committee she pointed out not only the effect such a closure would have on Lacombe but on Alberta farmers and farmers across the country. She also voiced concern that the federal government has yet to give a convincing argument for the centre’s closure including a cost benefit analysis or forethought of consequences, adding that she often hears comments supporting more agricultural research not less. “So we were just asking the government to do due diligence,” said Hibbs.

She said that until the decision is 100 per cent final “we will continue to try to change minds.”