The fight for agriculture research to remain in Lacombe continues

The fight for agriculture research to remain in Lacombe continues

Published 2:00 pm Thursday, September 24, 2026

The federal government won’t overturn its decision to close the Lacombe Research and Development Centre.

For the City of Lacombe and Lacombe County, this decision not to revisit the closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre is disappointing.

“While we had hoped the Standing Committee on Agriculture’s recommendation would result in further consideration of the facility’s future, this outcome was not entirely unexpected,” Nicole Plewis, the Communications Coordinator for Lacombe County, said.

For Lacombe County and the City of Lacombe, the decision also reinforces the need to continue working with provincial partners, industry organizations, post-secondary institutions, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities that could support agricultural research in Lacombe.

“While the federal government’s decision closes one avenue, we remain hopeful that there are still viable paths forward that preserve research capacity and expertise in our region,” she said.

The joint City of Lacombe and Lacombe County Task Force remains committed to advocating for the future of agriculture research in the area.

“While the future may look different from today, we believe there is still value in pursuing collaborative models that keep agricultural research active in Lacombe,” Plewis said.

The Task Force recently met with Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and was encouraged to hear that discussions with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada remain ongoing.

“We understand that conversations are also occurring with organizations such as the University of Alberta, Western Crop Innovations, and Results Driven Agriculture Research regarding potential future research opportunities at the site,” she added.

Since the Task Force was created following the federal government’s initial decision to close the Lacombe Research and Development Centre, a ton of advocacy work has been accomplished, including:

• Appearing before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in Ottawa to present the case for maintaining operations

• Successfully advocating for support through resolutions at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

• Securing support through resolutions passed by both the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) and FCM

• Meeting directly with federal and provincial ministers, MPs, MLAs, parliamentary staff, and senior government officials to discuss the future of the facility

• Submitting numerous letters and formal correspondence to federal and provincial decision-makers.

• Participating in extensive local, provincial, and national media interviews to raise awareness of the issue

• Working closely with producers, industry organizations, researchers, post-secondary institutions, and municipal partners to build a unified voice in support of the centre

“While the federal government has chosen not to revisit its decision to close, we are proud of the significant advocacy effort undertaken on behalf of our communities and Alberta’s agricultural sector,” Plewis said.

The Lacombe Research and Development Centre has been an important part of Alberta’s agricultural landscape for generations.

“The research conducted in Lacombe has supported producers across the province by advancing forage production, livestock research, crop development, environmental stewardship, and innovation,” she added.

Beyond the research, the centre also represents highly specialized expertise, infrastructure, and partnerships that can’t be replaced easily.

“The loss of that capacity would have impacts that extend well beyond our municipalities and would be felt across Alberta’s agricultural sector. Our advocacy has never been solely about a facility. It has been about preserving the knowledge, innovation, and research capacity that help drive agricultural success in Alberta and across Canada.”

There is also a big impact at the local level, Plewis said.

“The people working at the Lacombe Research and Development Centre are in our communities, raising families, coaching sports teams and supporting local economies. That is a void that is hard to fill.”

This latest decision made by the federal government is a setback, but discussions are still taking place, she said.

“We continue to see interest in finding ways to retain research activity and expertise in Lacombe, and we remain optimistic that opportunities may emerge through new partnerships and collaborative approaches.”