Once a month, we partner up with LobbyIQ to update our readers on recent movements in the federal lobbying landscape in Ottawa. We provide separate coverage for each channel, defined by the most relevant industries, organizations, institutions, and subject matters.

Key Takeaways — Agri-Food

• Lobbying activity totalled 184 meetings in March 2026, up from a 12-month average of 172.0.
• The biggest moves were in Agricultural science and products and Crop production.
• CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL, Fertilizer Canada were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in March 2026 Data

Government Delays Fertilizer Labelling Enforcement

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's decision to postpone new bilingual labelling requirements for bulk fertilizers by one year came as Fertilizer Canada intensified lobbying efforts with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the House of Commons, and the Senate of Canada around regulatory burden and supply chain resilience. The extension, attributed to further dialog with industry, aligns closely with ongoing advocacy for regulatory streamlining and competitiveness across the agri-food sector.

📎 Farm and ag industry groups optimistic about new national food security ...

Pork Lobby Activity Spikes with Trade and Support Announcements

A notable uptick in lobbying by the Canadian Pork Council, including meetings with the Senate of Canada regarding Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in March coincides with federal actions expanding sector support and securing trade resilience, including a new disease zoning agreement with Japan and enhancements to business risk management programs. These measures reflect direct sector priorities around competitiveness, risk management, and market access observed in lobbying activity by the Canadian Pork Council and the Canadian Cattle Association, which also engaged with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the House of Commons.

📎 Canadian Pork Council Welcomes New Farm Support

National Food Security Strategy Drives Producer Engagement

The launch of Canada's National Food Security Strategy, a landmark $3 billion, decade-long plan, prompted widespread endorsement and immediate infrastructure and processing project proposals from major farm and agri-food associations such as the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Fertilizer Canada. Lobbying activity in March by these groups, including direct engagement with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the House of Commons, centered on regulatory modernization, support for innovation, and boosting domestic production, echoing the strategy's core themes.

📎 Prime Minister Carney launches National Food Security Strategy to build a more affordable and resilient food system in Canada

Economic Update Expands Food Affordability Supports

The federal government's 2026 Spring Economic Update, which delivered enhanced benefits to offset rising food and input costs, came as sector and consumer advocacy around affordability and financial resilience intensified, echoed in recent advocacy by Fertilizer Canada with Finance Canada (FIN) and the House of Commons. Measures such as the increased Groceries and Essentials Benefit intersected directly with lobbying efforts focused on mitigating cost pressures in the food system, including Fertilizer Canada’s engagement with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

📎 2026 Spring Economic Update: Key measures for addressing food insecurity and poverty in Canada

2025 Budget Reforms Still Shaping Agri-Food Lobbying

Significant federal budget measures adopted in late 2025—such as expanded business risk management funding and accelerated regulatory reviews—continued influencing industry lobbying throughout spring 2026, with organisations like Fertilizer Canada, the Canadian Canola Growers Association, and the Canadian Cattle Association raising these priorities in engagement with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. These commitments to competitive trade, regulatory modernization, and sector support also provided context for persistent advocacy by Fertilizer Canada before the House of Commons and Finance Canada on risk management and export readiness.

📎 Ag in the 2025 federal budget

Section B: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by NAICS industry, the lobbying activity in Ottawa last month to its historical average.

Lobbying activity across this channel totalled 184 meetings in March 2026, up from a 12-month average of 172. The most active industry was Crop production, while Agricultural science and products rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Pork and other animal production logged 29 meetings, up from an average of 3, and Agricultural science and products logged 56 meetings, up from an average of 21.

On the quieter side, Crop production had 58 meetings, down from an average of 86, Poultry and egg production had 13 meetings, down from an average of 20, and Dairy cattle and milk production had 7 meetings, down from an average of 20.

Section C: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize, we show each industry's lobbying activity over the past 12 months. The combined view from Section B and C shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-03

Crop production saw lobbying run notably below expected levels in March 2026.

↳ Crop production has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Crop production displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Agricultural science and products saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in March 2026.

↳ Agricultural science and products has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Agricultural science and products displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Dairy cattle and milk production has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Dairy cattle and milk production displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Pork and other animal production has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Pork and other animal production displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Cattle ranching and farming has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Cattle ranching and farming displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Section D: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL, Fertilizer Canada, and Nutrien Ltd..

On the quieter side, Canola Council of Canada, and Canadian Canola Growers Association all pulled back from their usual pace.

Section E: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every time an organization lobbies, there is a government official representing a government institution at the other side of the table. This section shows the industry-institutions pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity. Below that, we show the corresponding organization-institution pairs.

Industries → Government Institutions

Organizations → Government Institutions

The busiest industry → institution corridors this month:

↳ Agricultural science and products → House of Commons: 27 meetings (avg 7, +290%).

↳ Pork and other animal production → House of Commons: 22 meetings (avg 2, +1000%).

↳ Crop production → Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): 20 meetings (avg 25, -21%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL → House of Commons: 22 meetings (avg 2, +1000%).

↳ Fertilizer Canada → House of Commons: 18 meetings (avg 4, +391%).

↳ Canadian Cattle Association → House of Commons: 11 meetings (avg 6, +97%).

Section F: Industry and Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

All lobbying activity is tagged with a "subject matter". This section shows the industry-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity, and below it the organization-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month.

Industries → Subjects

Organizations → Subjects

The busiest industry → subject corridors this month:

↳ Crop production → Agriculture: 58 meetings (avg 84, -31%).

↳ Agricultural science and products → International Trade: 52 meetings (avg 16, +217%).

↳ Agricultural science and products → Agriculture: 45 meetings (avg 13, +242%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL → Budget: 29 meetings (avg 3, +1023%).

↳ CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL → Agriculture: 29 meetings (avg 3, +988%).

↳ Fertilizer Canada → Agriculture: 29 meetings (avg 8, +248%).

Section G: Last Month's Most Lobbied Politicians and Civil Servants

This section presents a list of the politicians and civil servants who took the most meetings with key industry players last month.

Most Lobbied Individuals by Sector

Most Lobbied Individuals by Organization

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by sector) this month were Crop production → David Hunt (Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)), Agricultural science and products → Amanda Wilson (Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)) and Agricultural science and products → Tim Louis (House of Commons).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Cereals Canada Inc → David Hunt (Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)), Canadian Association of Vegetable Growers and Processors → Mackenzy Metcalfe (Finance Canada (FIN)) and National Cattle Feeders' Association → John Hannaford (Privy Council Office (PCO)).