Manitoba wheat, barley association waits for provincial certification

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Published: July 12, 2013

The Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association has a name but doesn’t formally exist yet because the commodity group is waiting on provincial certification.

James Battershill, general manager of Keystone Agricultural Producers, said the association remains in a holding period as provincial officials decide if a producer referendum is needed for a checkoff on wheat and barley.

“The hope is still to be operational in August,” he said.

The association’s steering committee has hired consultant Brent VanKoughnet to lead the start-up phase.

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VanKoughnet said informal polling and meetings with producers suggest cereal growers support the concept.

Farmers know that something or someone has to promote wheat to consumers and financially support agronomic research, he added.

“People get that that requires some investment.”

He said the Manitoba association is considering a $1 checkoff on wheat and barley.

“The vision … is a combination of market development that is the CIGI (Canadian International Grains Institute) checkoff right now and the research checkoff that’s WGRF (Western Grains Research Foundation) right now,” said VanKoughnet.

“The other (piece) is advocacy and agronomy research and other things. All that kind of adds up to $1 a tonne.”

About the author

Robert Arnason

Robert Arnason

Reporter

Robert Arnason is a reporter with The Western Producer and Glacier Farm Media. Since 2008, he has authored nearly 5,000 articles on anything and everything related to Canadian agriculture. He didn’t grow up on a farm, but Robert spent hundreds of days on his uncle’s cattle and grain farm in Manitoba. Robert started his journalism career in Winnipeg as a freelancer, then worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Nipawin, Saskatchewan and Fernie, BC. Robert has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Manitoba and a diploma in LSJF – Long Suffering Jets’ Fan.

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