2015 Conference Report
In 2015 AIC brought agricultural stakeholders together for our first national policy forum for agricultural research. The conference was a culmination of a two-year process of outreach by the AIC to develop a Canadian agricultural research policy for the 21st century.
Over two days, researchers, academics, producers, government representatives, and agricultural advocacy organizations heard from expert panels and attended workshops where they provided advice based on their expertise in key elements of modern agricultural research policy:
- Balancing Pure and Applied Research
- Interdisciplinary Partnerships, Collaboration and Cooperation
- Issues in Public-Private Partnerships
Prior to the conference, AIC reached out to over 1,000 agricultural stakeholders, inviting them to participate in a consultation survey. Their input set the framework for the conference discussion and drove the key questions discussed in these three individual, yet overlapping thematic areas.
Several overarching themes and important points of consensus emerged during discussion, with Canada’a top agricultural researchers and experts from across the sector identifying clear directions for the future of agricultural research in Canada.
Using this feedback AIC developed our national policy for agricultural research, innovation and development, released September 2015.
The ideas and insights shared by participants at the conference were summarized in the conference report found below.