Food Security Needs Investment, Not Austerity
Ottawa, October 16, 2025 – Today, on World Food Day, the Agriculture Union is denouncing Mark Carney’s proposed budget cuts, which could have disastrous impacts on Canada’s food security and agricultural sector. Our union represents 7500 federal public servants across Canada, the majority of whom work for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). At a time when record-breaking droughts are threatening Canadian farms, and Donald Trump’s gutting of the Food and Drug Administration south of the border is putting food imports at risk, we are demanding that the Canadian government roll back spending cuts that could put Canadian lives and the Canadian economy at risk.
On World Food Day 2025, the Agriculture Union joins the global call to build a peaceful, sustainable, and food-secure future. This year’s theme reminds us that by working together—across governments, sectors, and communities—we can transform agrifood systems to ensure that everyone has access to a healthy diet while living in harmony with the planet.
But here in Canada, and in North America more broadly, our food security is under threat.
We strongly denounce Mark Carney’s proposed 15% cuts to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). These cuts would not only undermine Canada’s food safety and agricultural resilience—they would also jeopardize our ability to meet the very goals World Food Day champions.
Undermining Food Safety in a Fragile System
The CFIA is Canada’s frontline defense against foodborne illness, contamination, and unsafe imports. Its inspectors, scientists, and technicians ensure that what ends up on our plates is safe and trustworthy. But CFIA staffing has already declined by 3% since 2012—even as Canada’s population has grown by 13%. Further cuts would stretch an already thin workforce past its limits.
Meanwhile, south of the border, the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has weakened North America’s food safety net. Canada cannot afford to follow suit. Weakening the CFIA now would leave us more vulnerable to food illness outbreaks.
Threatening Climate Resilience and Innovation
AAFC plays a vital role in helping farmers adapt to climate change, develop sustainable practices, and maintain Canada’s global leadership in agricultural innovation. From drought-resistant crops to soil health research, AAFC’s work is essential to building a resilient food system.
Yet AAFC staffing has dropped by nearly 1,000 positions since 2012. Programs like Agri-stability, which help farmers weather economic and environmental shocks, are already under strain. AAFC is a vital pillar of the Canadian agricultural sector, and its employees deliver key services to farmers, so that those farmers in turn can keep us healthy and well-fed.
A Call for Leadership
Food security is national security. It’s about protecting our families, supporting our farmers, and ensuring that Canada can feed itself in an increasingly uncertain world. The Agriculture Union’s members work every day to uphold these goals. But they cannot do more with less.
We urge Members of Parliament to reject these short-sighted cuts and instead invest in the people and programs that keep Canadians safe, healthy, and nourished.
Because a food-secure future is not built through austerity—it is built through solidarity.
For media enquiries, contact: Aaron Lakoff, Communications Officer, Agriculture Union – LakoffA@psac-afpc.com