Saskatchewan wheat and barley growers will soon be asked to pay checkoffs of 52 and 50 cents per tonne, respectively, on all wheat and barley grown in the province.
If approved, the levies would be collected beginning Aug. 1 and generate revenues of $4.5 million a year for wheat and $1 million a year for barley.
The new levies would be over and above existing levies that now support organizations such as the Canadian International Grains Institute and the Canadian Malt Barley Technical Centre.
Revenues derived from the new provincial levies would be used to support cereal research initiatives that benefit Saskatchewan growers.
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The levy rates are being proposed by provincial steering committees that were established last year by the Saskatchewan government and tasked with setting up permanent wheat and barley commissions in the province.
Cherilyn Nagel, chair of the wheat steering committee, said work aimed at establishing the commissions is progressing as expected.
Producers will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed levies in the coming months.
Before commissions are established and levies are implemented, organizers must demonstrate to the province that there is adequate producer support in the province, she added.
