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 293 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 200.
• The biggest moves were in Crop production and Poultry and egg production.
• Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Canola Growers Association were more active than usual.

Real-World Context — Agri-Food, April 2026

Surge in Crop Production Lobbying Runs Alongside Federal Tax Reforms

Much of the uptick in lobbying by crop producers coincides with the federal government enacting Bill C-15 in March 2026, which brought in significant tax measures, including the reinstatement and expansion of accelerated capital cost allowance (CCA) for most capital properties and expanded eligibility for immediate expensing of agriculture equipment. Meeting records directly show industry advocates specifically raised the need for a permanent, sector-wide accelerated CCA provision, reflecting these policy moves. This matters as rapid policy shifts in capital costs directly shape producer investment, competitiveness, and sector renewal.

📎 Tax Insights: Bill C-15 implements SR&ED, capital cost allowance and transfer pricing changes and more · Canada's 2025 budget implementation bill no. 1 receives Royal Assent

Lobbying on the Advance Payments Program Intensifies Amid Ongoing Cash Flow Pressures

April’s lobbying spike—especially from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture—aligns closely with renewed government action on the Advance Payments Program (APP). In early April 2026, Ottawa announced the APP's temporary $250,000 interest-free threshold would be extended and a higher $500,000 threshold specifically for canola would continue, but did not make these increases permanent. Lobbyists pressed for a $350,000 permanent threshold and for relaxing recent lending risk rules, which official records confirm as top meeting topics. These decisions remain salient due to stubbornly high farm input costs and ongoing demands for predictability in sector financing.

📎 CFA welcomes extension of $250,000 interest free threshold under Advance Payments Program for 2026 · Advance Payments Program interest free limit set at $250,000 for 2026

Push for National Food Security Strategy Drives House of Commons Engagement

Lobbying records from April show repeated calls for a national food security strategy, enhanced input supply measures, and expanded eligibility for intergenerational family transfers—all directly referenced in recent federal commitments. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government announced in January 2026 a National Food Security Strategy, immediate support for domestic production infrastructure, and a $150 million Food Security Fund. This context helps explain why the House of Commons and senior politicians, especially those on the agriculture committee, were a primary lobbying target this month.

📎 Federal food affordability measures, food security strategy announced · Carney announces food affordability measures, including boost to GST rebate

Supply Chain Risk and Critical Input Policy Prompt Targeted Meetings

Meeting descriptions indicate heightened concerns about 'critical farm input strategy,' supply chain volatility, and regulatory barriers for crop protection products and fertilizer. These themes closely parallel the government’s stated rationale in its spring 2026 economic update and food policy statements, which singled out volatile input prices and supply chain fragility as policy targets. Such context illustrates why agri-food organizations rallied for more predictable input streams and regulatory streamlining, and why volatility in crop production lobbying appears event-driven.

📎 Prime Minister Carney announces new measures to make groceries and other essentials more affordable for Canadians · 2026 Spring Economic Update: Key measures for addressing food insecurity and poverty in Canada

Regulatory Reform and Innovation Approvals: Strategic Lobbying on New Tech and Inputs

Organizations such as the Canadian Canola Growers Association lobbied vigorously in April on Bill C-273, which aims to streamline access to new feeds, fertilizers, seeds, and pest control products. Bill C-15 and related government statements from March 2026 also emphasized efficiency in regulatory approvals for farm inputs and highlighted agricultural innovation as a core national interest. This convergence of new policy tools and sector demands is driving increased engagement with both the Commons and key regulators.

📎 Tax Insights: Bill C-15 implements SR&ED, capital cost allowance and transfer pricing changes and more · Federal food affordability measures, food security strategy announced

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 293 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 200. The most active industry was Crop production, while Poultry and egg production rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Crop production logged 159 meetings, up from an average of 97, Pork and other animal production logged 10 meetings, up from an average of 4, Poultry and egg production logged 47 meetings, up from an average of 24, and Agricultural science and products logged 38 meetings, up from an average of 24.

Dairy cattle and milk production had 13 meetings, down from an average of 26.

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 2026-04

Crop production saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in April 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.

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

↳ Poultry and egg 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.

↳ 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.

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 Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Canola Growers Association, Canadian Egg Marketing Agency COB Egg Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, and Nutrien Ltd..

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:

↳ Crop production → House of Commons: 58 meetings (avg 33, +75%).

↳ Poultry and egg production → House of Commons: 26 meetings (avg 12, +124%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Federation of Agriculture → House of Commons: 22 meetings (avg 4, +439%).

↳ Canadian Egg Marketing Agency COB Egg Farmers of Canada → House of Commons: 16 meetings (avg 4, +300%).

↳ Canadian Cattle Association → House of Commons: 12 meetings (avg 7, +82%).

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: 153 meetings (avg 95, +61%).

↳ Crop production → International Trade: 99 meetings (avg 73, +36%).

↳ Crop production → Economic Development: 66 meetings (avg 43, +52%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Canola Growers Association → Agriculture: 40 meetings (avg 14, +187%).

↳ Canadian Canola Growers Association → Economic Development: 40 meetings (avg 13, +210%).

↳ Canadian Federation of Agriculture → Agriculture: 36 meetings (avg 7, +427%).

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 Crop production → Lawrence Hanson (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)), Crop production → Heath Macdonald (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)) and Crop production → Kody Blois (House of Commons).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Cereals Canada Inc → Derek Bunkowsky (Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)), Chicken Farmers of Canada → Aaron Fowler (Global Affairs Canada (GAC)) and Chicken Farmers of Canada → Aaron Fowler (Global Affairs Canada (GAC)).