The New Direction of Federal Agricultural Research in Canada: From Public Good to Private Gain?

Abstract

Federal policy innovation in agricultural research in Canada between the mid-1980s and late 1990s resulted in a notable shift towards market-based policy ideas. There has been a clear departure from the relatively autonomous status of the federal agricultural research effort. The nature of policy change can be credited largely to the public philosophy of technological neoliberalism. The impetus came from fiscal restraint. The new emphasis on public-private partnerships suggests policy convergence is occurring with the United States. The potential effects of policy change, in particular greater industry influence on setting goals for public research, are fuelling concerns about the future of public-good agricultural research in Canada.