ANDREW, Alta. – The Canadian Wheat Board should get out of Winnipeg and promote itself, said a farmer worried about the future of the grain marketing company during the company’s grain days.
“I feel the wheat board staff is not doing their job of communicating the benefits of the wheat board,” said Victor Chrapko.
He told wheat board commissioner Ken Beswick the board should be using television, radio or newspapers to target young farmers.
“We’ve got to find a way of getting to the young people. Ninety percent of the farmers here are over 60. These are people who already know about the board,” said Chrapko of Brosseau.
Read Also
Agri-business and farms front and centre for Alberta’s Open Farm Days
Open Farm Days continues to enjoy success in its 14th year running, as Alberta farms and agri-businesses were showcased to increase awareness on how food gets to the dinner plate.
He is worried young farmers don’t understand the benefits of the wheat board and may be tempted to toss it aside.
While Chrapko’s complaints were as tough as they got during the Canadian Wheat Board’s tour in this north-central Alberta community, Beswick admitted the wheat board has suffered from 30 years of taking farmers for granted.
“We have tried hard to change the way we appear to farmers. We’re paying for 30 years of neglect,” said Beswick.
That’s one of the reasons the board opened its books to the three agriculture economists recently to see if the farmers benefit from the single-desk selling of the wheat board, he said.
Study is proof to supporter
The study and the video of one of the economists, Daryl Kraft, talking about the study, was proof enough of the benefits, said Neil Gorda, of Willingdon.
“I’m a strong supporter of the Canadian Wheat Board and those numbers are answers enough to the benefits and value to the Canadian farmer,” said Gorda, 40, to a round of applause from the farmers.
The study said the wheat board earned farmers $13.35 at tonne more for red spring wheat over a 14-year period than multiple sellers would have.
