Bridging agricultural science and real-world impact.
Since 2020, The Simpson Centre has been Canada's leading bridge between agricultural research and tangible outcomes. We mobilize cutting-edge science to inform smarter policy, strengthen public understanding of our agri-food system, and advance Canada’s sustainable food future for all—from trade policy and supply chains to climate action and public health.
Explore Our Work.
Impact & Outreach.
Event Reports.
Explore key findings from our gatherings on critical issues facing Canadian agriculture. Our reports synthesize expert perspectives from producers, researchers, and policymakers to inform evidence-based solutions for the sector's most pressing challenges.
Publications.
Issue Briefs.
Concise, evidence-based documents to provide a clear overview of pertinent policy issues. Understand why the issue matters, and the key findings and recommendations to make informed policy decisions.
Research.
Controversy Mapping.
Agricultural controversies involve conflicting evidence, competing values, and clashing narratives. Our controversy mapping research tracks these debates, identifying key points of disagreement, and clarifying what is at stake in discussions about food and farming.
Upcoming Events
Join our webinar on water risk management in western Canadian farming, with speakers Mathieu Lipari (Farm Management Canada) & David Sauchyn (University of Regina).
Latest Insights.
Our most recent publications, news stories, and events.
Canola Under Fire: The Price of Market Concentration
Canada's canola industry faces mounting pressures from Chinese trade retaliation and U.S. policy uncertainty, illustrating the vulnerabilities that come with export market concentration.
See our analysis of the economic fallout of ongoing trade disputes facing Canadian canola.
Rethinking Canada's Agriculture Policy
Canada is well positioned to lead in digital agriculture but risks falling behind global frontrunners without a coherent, farmer-centric, and systems-based strategy.
Mapping Canada's Digital Agriculture Landscape
Our scoping review synthesizes evidence from 64 studies on digital agricultural technologies in Canadian field crops. Findings reveal strong innovation in sensing and analytics, but identify critical gaps in regional validation, commercialization pathways, and data governance that shape adoption across Canada's diverse production systems.
From Our Director: How Policy Labs Support Communities
Policy Labs are increasingly used to address complex challenges in food and agricultural policy, but what exactly are they and who do they serve? In this video, our Director Dr. Guillaume Lhermie explains the core functions of Policy Labs, how they integrate research, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based methods, and why they are becoming essential tools for improving food systems and agricultural decision-making.
December 10, 2025
Controversy Mapping: Exploring Complex Agri-Food Topics
Our interactive agri-food Controversy Atlases use an innovative "controversy mapping" approach to make complex agricultural issues, debates, and food system realities accessible, letting you explore Canadian agriculture issues through data-driven, neutral resources you can navigate freely, zooming in on the angles and details most relevant to you.
John Simpson
Dr. Kee Jim & G.K. Jim Farms
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