Strahl is the federal minister of agriculture and minister for the Canadian Wheat Board.
Western farmers have been calling on the federal government to remove the monopoly on barley and barley products from the Canadian Wheat Board for a long time. In fact, 62 percent of barley growers want the freedom to market barley in whatever way they want.
As Canada’s agriculture minister and member of the Stephen Harper cabinet, I am proud that we are listening to farmers and getting the job done for them.
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Barley Freedom Day will be Aug. 1, 2007.
That’s the day farmers will finally get the freedom they deserve – and the marketing options they need – to maximize their profitability.
With this fair and open process, Canada’s new government is creating market certainty, and the markets are already responding by sending farmers a message: send us more of that great Canadian barley and we’ll give you a great price for it.ÂÂ
Unfortunately, while we move to put more money in the pockets of hard working barley farmers, the so called Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, along with the Manitoba and Saskatchewan governments, are going to try and stop us.
It is ludicrous to see both provinces kicking in taxpayers dollars to the tune of $50,000 to try and take away the freedom of market choice for these farmers.
Already, taxpayers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan fear their governments may be putting even more public funds into this challenge.
With a lawsuit tabled, the federal government is now forced to use tax dollars to defend the rights of farmers.
Sadly, while farmers are forced to empty their pockets to pay for the court case, they could also be denied a chance to finally get a decent return by selling barley to the highest bidder.
Our government promised to give barley growers the freedom they have been asking for and deserve. It’s time to let these farmers make a good buck for a change.
The people who are lining up to stop this from happening may have some “friends” out there in the CWB and the big grain companies, but they’re clearly not a friend of the farmers.
