Canada funds two beef scientists at Guelph after research cuts
Two-year salaries secured but industry pushes for permanent roles
25 June 2026
1 minute read
By: The Beef Cattle Research Council and Canadian Cattle Association have welcomed a federal government decision to fund the salaries of two beef scientists at the University of Guelph for two years, following cuts to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research earlier this year.
AAFC will cover the salaries of Dr. Óscar López-Campos and Dr. Nuria Prieto, whose positions were among those affected when AAFC's Lacombe Research and Development Centre in Alberta closed in January as part of wider government research cuts. The work carried out at Lacombe by the two researchers represented Canada's only beef carcass quality and meat science research program.
López-Campos leads industry efforts to improve beef carcass grading technology and was involved in the recent harmonisation of Canadian and US yield grades. Prieto specialises in evaluating beef tenderness, flavour and juiciness, and how changes to cattle diets and production systems affect consumer acceptability and eating quality.
"While the funding announcement is positive for the Canadian beef industry, it is important to note that AAFC's salary support is for a two-year period," said Tyler Fulton, president of the Canadian Cattle Association. "We strongly support the University's ongoing efforts to build the case to make these permanent faculty positions within the Ontario Agriculture College."
The two organisations said transitioning carcass composition data and equipment from Lacombe to Guelph would protect past industry and taxpayer investments and continue to deliver research value.
