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 164 meetings in May 2026, down from a 12-month average of 203.8.
• The biggest moves were in Crop production and Cattle ranching and farming.
• Canadian Cattle Association, TURKEY FARMERS OF CANADA were more active than usual.

Real-World Context — Agri-Food, May 2026

Cattle Lobby Surges Amid Ongoing Trade Talks and Labour Reforms

Lobbying records show intensified discussions about business risk management and trade access for Canadian beef, coinciding with continued negotiations to resolve Canada-U.S. trade disputes and evolving labour rules for agricultural workers. Recently, the federal government reaffirmed support for beef producers following U.S. trade actions, and made adjustments to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program in spring 2026—developments that are highly relevant to the subject matter of these meetings.

📎 Government of Canada: Temporary Foreign Worker Program changes · Canadian beef sector responds to U.S. trade actions

Decrease in Crop Production Lobbying Mirrors Budget Uncertainty and Pest Management Changes

Lobbying volumes for crop production dipped sharply in May amid ongoing uncertainty about support for horticulture and pest management access. This coincided with the release of the 2026 federal budget, which raised questions about the funding and resourcing of sector programs. Official meeting descriptions reference pest management and access pathways, which aligns closely with government consultations on pesticide regulations that took place in spring 2026.

📎 Budget 2026: Canadian agri-food and horticulture analysis · Health Canada launches pesticide regulatory consultation

Biofuels and Fertilizer Policy Front-and-Centre as Industry Pushes for Supply Chain Security

Meeting descriptions emphasize biofuel policy and fertilizer production as lobbying priorities, coinciding with the federal government’s spring 2026 push to expand domestic fertilizer production and implement clean fuel standards. New policy announcements and consultations on clean energy and sector supply chain resiliency provide context for why industry actors—especially those in canola processing and agricultural inputs—are emphasizing these subjects in their government relations.

📎 Canada announces new fertilizer production incentives · Clean Fuel Standard launched for 2026

Turkey Farmers and Cattle Groups Ramp Up Activity During Trade Quota and Food Safety Policy Reviews

Lobbying records show heightened engagement by the Turkey Farmers of Canada, coinciding with ongoing federal reviews of tariff rate quotas and animal care requirements in spring 2026. The government has initiated consultations to modernize import regimes and strengthen food safety programming, directly aligning with the topics documented in this month's lobbying meetings.

📎 Government of Canada launches poultry quota review · Food safety funding and animal care program reforms

Dairy and Veterinary Policy Advocacy Coincides with Trade Negotiations and Antimicrobial Regulations

Lobbying meeting records highlight advocacy around supply management in dairy and access to veterinary tools, as Canada pursues updated trade negotiations with the UK and U.S. and advances new regulations to combat antimicrobial resistance. These regulatory and trade developments provide timely context for sustained direct dialogue between dairy industry groups and parliamentarians documented in May.

📎 Canada launches new antimicrobial resistance strategy · Canada-UK trade negotiations update

Section A: 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 164 meetings in May 2026, down from a 12-month average of 204. The most active industry was Crop production, while Cattle ranching and farming fell below its recent baseline.

Cattle ranching and farming logged 42 meetings, up from an average of 27.

On the quieter side, Crop production had 67 meetings, down from an average of 100, Pork and other animal production had no lobbying meetings this month, down from an average of 4, Poultry and egg production had 17 meetings, down from an average of 25, and Dairy cattle and milk production had 13 meetings, down from an average of 22.

Section B: 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 A and B shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-05

Poultry and egg production saw lobbying run notably below expected levels in May 2026.

↳ Poultry and egg production displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

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

↳ Crop production has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

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

↳ 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.

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

Section C: 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 Cattle Association, and TURKEY FARMERS OF CANADA.

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

Section D: 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:

↳ Cattle ranching and farming → House of Commons: 24 meetings (avg 15, +64%).

↳ Crop production → Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): 20 meetings (avg 28, -29%).

↳ Crop production → Global Affairs Canada (GAC): 14 meetings (avg 9, +63%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Cattle Association → House of Commons: 20 meetings (avg 8, +150%).

↳ Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers → Prime Minister's Office (PMO): 6 meetings (avg 1, +700%).

↳ TURKEY FARMERS OF CANADA → House of Commons: 6 meetings (avg 1, +929%).

Section E: 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: 66 meetings (avg 98, -33%).

↳ Crop production → International Trade: 57 meetings (avg 76, -25%).

↳ Cattle ranching and farming → International Trade: 42 meetings (avg 21, +97%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Cattle Association → International Trade: 34 meetings (avg 12, +178%).

↳ Canadian Cattle Association → Agriculture: 22 meetings (avg 11, +93%).

↳ Canadian Biogas Association → Agriculture: 17 meetings (avg 4, +374%).

Section F: 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 Dairy cattle and milk production → Shelby Kramp-Neuman (House of Commons), Dairy cattle and milk production → John Barlow (House of Commons) and Dairy cattle and milk production → Luc Berthold (House of Commons).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers → Zachary Nixon (Prime Minister's Office (PMO)), Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers → Galen Richardson (Privy Council Office (PCO)) and Fruit & Vegetable Growers of Canada → Olwyn Parkinson (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)).