Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is making a major commitment to Canada’s agriculture and food sector, announcing plans to invest $2 billion by 2030 to accelerate innovation in agtech.
The investment—one of the largest of its kind in the sector—will be deployed through FCC Capital, the financial institution’s new investment arm launched in 2024. FCC Capital provides a suite of capital solutions across the agri-food value chain, supporting companies from pre-seed startups to late-stage growth firms. The fund’s objective is to catalyze broader investment activity in Canada’s agtech ecosystem, which has historically lagged behind global peers.
“Canada’s economic future requires an agriculture and food industry leading the world in innovation and productivity,” said FCC president and CEO Justine Hendricks. “Until now, investment dollars have been scarce and have not scaled to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of the sector. Through this investment, FCC is delivering on its commitment to be a catalyst and support innovation and productivity in one of Canada’s most important and investable sectors.”
The announcement was made by Darren Baccus, FCC’s executive vice-president of agri-food, alliances and FCC Capital, during the Invest Canada 2025 Conference in Vancouver. “With this $2 billion allocation, FCC will continue its long history of supporting and partnering with the Canadian ag and food industry to offer greater security and sustainability in a highly competitive global market,” said Baccus.
FCC Capital has already made its presence felt in its first year, closing nine direct investments totalling $170 million, backing three new investment funds, and adding a new business accelerator to its portfolio.
The push comes amid growing concerns about Canada’s underperformance in agtech investment. In 2023, Canadian venture capital investments in the sector totaled roughly $270 million—ten times less than the United States when adjusted for population. By contrast, countries like Japan and members of the European Union have been significantly ramping up investment in agtech solutions.
FCC’s move is expected to “crowd in” more private capital and address long-standing funding gaps in the sector. The $2 billion commitment aims to boost not only innovation in devices and instrumentation but also research and methodologies that can enhance sustainability, productivity, and global competitiveness across Canada’s agricultural landscape.
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