A great read from John Greig at Farmtario highlights the striking contrast between Scotland’s unified agricultural extension model and Canada’s much more fragmented system.
At the first CAREE conference in Guelph, leaders from SAC Consulting (Scotland) showcased how their system connects education, applied research, consulting, and on-farm advisory services under one coordinated structure. The impact is impressive:
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📍 23 offices across Scotland
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👥 200 staff supporting producers
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🎓 Training from apprenticeships to PhDs
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🎥 220,000+ video views/year
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🎙️ 36,000 podcast listens/year
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👨🌾 40 farmer-led peer groups
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📅 240+ extension events annually
This kind of integration strengthens the feedback loop between farmers, educators, and government — and makes impact easier to measure and communicate.
By comparison, the Canadian system varies widely by province and relies heavily on a patchwork of organizations, advisors, and companies. As noted in the panel, this can lead to duplication, inequities, and inconsistent access to quality information.
Saskatchewan stands out as one of the provinces with a strong, farmer-facing extension presence. Tracy Evans from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture captured this well:
“Extension at its existential core is the same wherever you go. It’s about the connection with the producer — understanding them, what their needs are and where you meet them.”
Her comments highlighted a key takeaway: while Canada has outstanding advisors, CCAs, veterinarians, and specialists, what’s missing is the system that connects them.
A few themes resonated strongly:
🔹 Extension is fundamentally about relationships and relevance.
🔹 No single organization has the time or resources to meet all producer needs — partnerships are essential.
🔹 Canada has the expertise — we lack the coordination.
🔹 Demonstrating impact becomes easier in a system that is intentionally designed and integrated.
Scotland’s model isn’t one-size-fits-all, but it shows what can happen when extension is treated as a unified national priority rather than a patchwork of efforts.
Read the full article here:
A timely and important conversation for Canada’s agri-food sector.
#Agriculture #Extension #RuralDevelopment #AgEducation #KnowledgeTransfer #Farmtario #CanadaAg #ScotlandAg #CAREE2025 #AgInnovation