Voices from the Field
The 2025 Federal Elections Project
As part of our Voices from the Field project, we are proud to share two policy briefing notes based on a national survey of 979 Canadian farmers, conducted in collaboration with Stratus Ag Research.
The first briefing explores political alignment and policy preferences among farmers, while the second examines key ballot box issues such as trade, taxation, labor, and sustainability.
Together, these insights reveal how federal party platforms align or miss the mark with the priorities of Canadian producers.
Farmers play a critical role in Canada’s economy and food security, yet their voices are often underrepresented in policymaking. These briefing notes aim to bridge that gap, providing information for voters, stakeholders, and policymakers.
Explore the Briefs.
Learn why integrating farmers’ perspectives is essential for shaping stronger, more resilient policies.
Understanding Farmer Priorities
Political Alignment and Policy References in the Lead-up to the 2025 Federal Election
Farmers are vital for maintaining Canadian food systems and ensuring food security. Despite their critical role, many Canadians feel that agricultural issues, needs and demands are forgotten, as other issues seem to engulf Canadian public life and election campaigns (Cummings, 2025). This makes examining the collective interests of the farming community, addressing their concerns, and communicating their aspirations and priorities to lawmakers, advocacy organizations, and the public a necessity.
With farmers’ voices getting drowned out amidst contemporary issues shaping our political reality and policy landscape, The Simpson Centre recognized the pressing need to highlight farmers’ opinions about key topics, such as taxation, trade, labour, sustainability, and environmental regulations and how it influences their political inclinations in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election.
Read the Briefing Paper.
Farmers’ Priorities at the Ballot Box
Assessing Political Alignment on Trade, Taxation, Labour, and Sustainability Ahead of the 2025 Federal Election
As Canada prepares for the 2025 federal election, agricultural producers face a rapidly evolving political and policy landscape shaped by shifting economic conditions, climate challenges, and labor market pressures. With agriculture occupying a unique space at the intersection of economic productivity and environmental responsibility, understanding how political parties address farmer priorities on trade, taxation, labor, climate adaptation, and water management is essential.
Given the centrality of these issues to farm operations and rural livelihoods, they are poised to become key determinants of electoral decisions within the agricultural community. This Policy Trends Briefing explores the critical policy areas that farmers identify as central to their decision-making in the upcoming election.
Read the Briefing Paper.
Issue Briefs
Contact us for more information.
PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR.
Guillaume Lhermie
Director, The Simpson Centre
PROJECT RESEARCHER.
Ohi Ahmed
Policy Analyst, The Simpson Centre
THE SIMPSON CENTRE.
Cal Wenzel Precision Health Building CWPH
University of Calgary
3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 5A1