Agriculture minister Chuck Strahl plans a vote among barley producers in January to determine if they would prefer life without the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.
During an interview the day before a scheduled House of Commons agriculture committee appearance on Oct. 31, he said the vote would be the first stage in what his task force on the wheat board recommended as a four stage process of dismantling the CWB’s sales monopoly, which covers all western grown wheat and barley except for feed barley sold domestically.
The task force has suggested that Strahl move with legislation.
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“I would rather go first with consultation rather than legislation,” Strahl said. “Farmers have indicated they want a say in this and that is how I intend to move.”
Strahl said he has not decided yet on the question or the voters’ list.
However, he wants the question to be clear and he wants the voters list to include farmers who produce and sell barley, “not farmers who used to produce, or wished they produced or think they might some day produce.”
The minister has been under pressure from farmers to hold a producer plebiscite before changes are made, but until now he has refused.
He now said he never opposed a vote.
“It is rolling out pretty much as I imagined it. Maybe it is my old reform roots but I still think people affected should have a say.”
However, Strahl would not commit to holding a wheat producers’ vote, before he makes changes to the wheat monopoly.
“That decision, and the debate on what will be, will happen a later stage.”
He said once the barley results are in, he hopes the wheat board begins to make changes within its power, including the way it deals with organic grain and the buy-back program.
“The wheat debate is still to come and I believe there are many ways it can evolve including some things the wheat board can do.”
Strahl said he expects barley farmers to approve change and end the monopoly.
His critics will likely complain that Strahl deliberately decided to hold a vote among barley producers because they are more likely to oppose a monopoly.
Strahl insisted he simply is following the phase-in approach recommended by the task force.
He vowed if barley producers vote as he expects, he will move quickly.
“I don’t think anyone wants to see this drag on and if the vote turns out the way I expect, I will want to get on with this stage.”
He said he would begin advertising this autumn for a firm to manage the barley plebiscite.
Critics undoubtedly will continue the fight, criticizing his refusal to commit on the wheat vote.
The implication is that not all barley producing permit book holders will be able to vote and that the minister continues to look for ways to get around the wheat board act in his determination to kill the monopoly.
In the 1990s, former wheat board minister Ralph Goodale, held a barley plebiscite that produced majority support for the monopoly.
However, he was criticized for refusing to include a “dual market” choice question, insisting it was the CWB monopoly or a total free market.
Strahl’s question may reflect his view that the wheat board could exist as a co-operative in a competitive market.
