The new president of the Grain Growers of Canada farm lobby sounds bullish about prospects for his often beleaguered industry.
“I think we’ve got some really positive developments coming,” said Ross Ravelli, a Dawson Creek, B.C. producer. He meant better prices, higher incomes and more exporter-friendly regulations.
The British Columbia canola grower said a core reason for optimism is the prospect of a biofuel industry developing in 2007, with government support. It will provide a market and strengthening prices for grains and oilseeds.
A late 2006 surge in grains and oilseeds prices will improve the farm bottom line.
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And as a western-dominated grain farm lobby, Ravelli said members of GGC are optimistic because of the Conservative government’s determination to end the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.
“I’m a strong supporter of having a Canadian Wheat Board,” he said. “We have to be sure the CWB is retained, but we also have to have choice as producers to sell our product where we want for the best price we can get. Movement in that area does create some optimism for the new year.”
But the grain growers’ president said it is important to remember there still are industry issues.
Grain Growers of Canada continues to insist that governments should compensate farmers for more than $1 billion in annual revenues that are lost because of price-depressing effects of foreign subsidies.
The group also argues for a major overhaul of the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program.
