The research has focused on scientific clusters. At the national level, the private sector has to make an investment in order for the government to contribute to the research cluster. Much of the research that was happening in federal centres and experimental farms has ceased.
I'll give you an example. In Quebec, a variety of lettuce was developed thanks to research funding provided by one of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's horticulture research and development centres. Advancing Canadian agriculture and agri-food, or ACAAF, was one of the programs available, in addition to others. In partnership with the community, Quebec producers administered the research funding, under the federal government's leadership. The research was more focused on specific needs at the local level. The new variety of lettuce was more resistant to the effects of extreme heat. There is now a company exporting the lettuce to the U.S. and even growing it there in order to meet customer demand annually. It started with that research.
That research would've never happened in a scientific cluster, which requires the involvement of Canada's entire horticulture community. So it's necessary to refocus research on needs that are more specific than what is currently possible through scientific clusters.