Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is the Canadian government department that regulates agriculture and shapes policies for farming, processing, and marketing farm, food, and agri-based products. Agriculture is a shared responsibility in Canada, so AAFC works with the provinces and territories to develop and deliver policies and programs. The minister handles policy in Parliament, while the deputy minister runs the department’s day-to-day operations.

History and overview
AAFC was formed in 1868. Early actions included laws to protect animal health and support agriculture. Over time, many other national responsibilities (like immigration, public health, and statistics) were moved to other departments. For example, the collection of statistics went to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics (now Statistics Canada) in 1918, and healthcare moved to the Department of Health in 1919. In 2013, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency was moved from the Agriculture portfolio to the Health portfolio.

What AAFC does today
- It is responsible for laws related to agriculture and food in Canada.
- The department’s Science and Technology Branch develops science-based solutions to boost competitiveness and sustainability in the sector and provides scientific information for decision-making.
- The branch runs a national network of 20 Research and Development Centres and 30 satellite locations, with about 2,200 employees, including around 400 researchers.

Programs and services
AAFC supports farmers, producers, and suppliers through various programs. It helps with market access and trade negotiations, works with provinces and territories to promote Canadian products, and focuses on science and technology to advance the industry and reduce risks.

Agrivoltaics
Agrivoltaics, or agro-photovoltaics, uses the same land for both solar energy and crops. Solar panels are placed above fields or pastures so electricity is generated while crops still grow. This can improve land use, protect crops from extreme weather, reduce water evaporation, and sometimes boost crop yields by creating a cooler microclimate. In Canada, studies suggest that using just 1% of farmland for agrivoltaics could meet up to about one-third of the country’s electricity needs while continuing food production.