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 125 meetings in September 2026, down from a 12-month average of 215.6.
• The biggest moves were in Crop production and Dairy cattle and milk production.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in September 2026 Data

Food Security Strategy Rollout Shifts Lobbying Priorities

The June 2026 launch of Canada’s National Food Security Strategy, including the $1 billion Food Link Fund, coincides with a notable pause and recalibration in regular agri-food lobbying, especially among fresh produce and edible horticulture groups such as the Fruit & Vegetable Growers of Canada and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association in their engagements with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Organizations appear to be adjusting their advocacy to new policy directions, with emphasis on supply chain tracing and ensuring sector representation within sector-wide food policy initiatives, priorities echoed in recent meetings between the Canadian Produce Marketing Association and both Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the House of Commons.

📎 Feeding the Future: Building a More Resilient, Innovative and ...

Trade Turmoil Drives Event-Driven Engagement

September lobbying in crop and animal production sectors, including efforts by Canadian Canola Growers Association and CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL in meetings with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Finance Canada (FIN), displays signs of volatility that coincide with major U.S. tariffs imposed in late summer 2026. Policy engagement trends suggest organizations such as Fertilizer Canada and Cereals Canada Inc. are responding to increased export uncertainty and seeking government support to address trade barriers and market disruptions.

📎 The tariffs are here — what does it mean for Canada's agri-food sector ...

Innovation Policy Reset Realigns Agri-Tech and Biofuel Advocacy

Industries focused on agri-science, biofuels, and biotechnology are recalibrating their strategies in light of the 2026 Agri-Food Innovation Statement and federal calls for regulatory modernization, as seen in recent activity from Cereals Canada Inc and the Canadian Canola Growers Association with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Lobbying on research, precision agriculture, and value-added production appears more targeted and episodic, with organizations like the Canadian Agri-food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) engaging with AAFC and Cereals Canada Inc interacting with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), as stakeholders seek to position agri-tech and low-carbon solutions within new federal program frameworks.

📎 June 2026 Canada’s Agriculture and Food Innovation Statement and ...

Program Wind-Downs Spur Cautious Industry Advocacy

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s 2026–27 Departmental Plan outlines spending reductions and the winding down of some science and innovation programs. These planned changes coincide with a more measured approach to lobbying, especially from organizations such as the Canadian Agri-food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN), Farming Smarter Association, and the Canadian Canola Growers Association, which traditionally depend on federal program funding for research and supply chain resilience in their engagements with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

📎 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's 2026–27 Departmental Plan

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 125 meetings in September 2026, down from a 12-month average of 216. The most active industry was Crop production, while Agricultural science and products fell below its recent baseline.

Pork and other animal production logged 7 meetings, up from an average of 5.

On the quieter side, Crop production had 65 meetings, down from an average of 103, Cattle ranching and farming had 14 meetings, down from an average of 26, Poultry and egg production had 10 meetings, down from an average of 25, Agricultural science and products had 21 meetings, down from an average of 29, and Dairy cattle and milk production had 8 meetings, down from an average of 28.

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 2026-09

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

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

↳ Cattle ranching and farming has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

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

↳ Poultry and egg production has been trending downward 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 trending downward 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 trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Dairy cattle and milk production 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.

On the quieter side, National Cattle Feeders' Association, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Fruit & Vegetable Growers of Canada, Fertilizer Canada, and BC Dairy 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:

↳ Poultry and egg production → Global Affairs Canada (GAC): 7 meetings (avg 3, +147%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Canola Council of Canada → Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): 8 meetings (avg 4, +85%).

↳ Canola Council of Canada → Global Affairs Canada (GAC): 6 meetings (avg 4, +60%).

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: 65 meetings (avg 101, -36%).

↳ Crop production → International Trade: 45 meetings (avg 71, -37%).

The most active organization → subject pair was Canola Council of Canada → Agriculture with 16 meetings.

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 → Christina Dailley (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)), Poultry and egg production → Michael Cooper (Global Affairs Canada (GAC)) and Crop production → Chris Moran (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Canadian Agri-food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) → Christina Dailley (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)), Canola Council of Canada → Chris Moran (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)) and Chicken Farmers of Canada → Michael Cooper (Global Affairs Canada (GAC)).