This story’s lead paragraph and its headline originally referred to “supporters” of the CWB – that should have been “critics.”
Farm groups that oppose the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk say they hope the Conservative government will use its new majority powers to implement a voluntary wheat board.
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, which has been leading the campaign to make the CWB voluntary, says it is also hoping to work with the government on railway service improvements, Canada Grain Act reforms and new international trade agreements.
“We encourage the government to move forward as quickly as possible on all these initiatives,” said association president Kevin Bender. “The faster we move ahead, the faster we can usher in greater prosperity in our sector.”
He urged the government to end the wheat board’s monopoly as of Aug. 1, with the understanding that existing CWB farmer contracts be honoured.
Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz recently repeated his election pledge to remove wheat and barley from the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.
Ritz, who had not been re-appointed agriculture minister as deadlines passed for this issue, could not reached for comment.
But a spokesperson in his Ottawa office sent an e-mail statement:
“Our government has always been clear that western Canadian grain growers deserve freedom to choose how they market their grain.”
Meanwhile, the Grain Growers of Canada listed its priorities for the new government:
- improving rail transportation, following the recommendations of the recently completed rail freight service review and previous government commitment;.
- boosting federal funding for agriculture research;
- pursuing international trade agreements;
- acting promptly to remove barley from the CWB marketing mandate;
- reforming the CWB electoral voters list to ensure only actual farmers vote;
- working with farmers and the CWB to give growers more marketing freedom while ensuring the CWB is a strong and effective marketer for those who wish to sell through it.
National Farmers Union president Terry Boehm took issue with those that want immediate reform to the CWB, saying the election results do not give the governing Conservatives a mandate to end the single desk.
Farmers voted Conservative in the federal election for many reasons, he said, and it shouldn’t be assumed they voted to end the CWB’s single desk.
He argued that results from CWB director elections, which have elected mostly single desk backers, demonstrate single desk support.
If the government is concerned about economic development, said Boehm, it should review the studies that have been done about the benefits of the CWB brings to wheat and barley marketing.
The NFU wants the federal government to allow prairie grain farmers to determine the board’s future through a two-question plebiscite.
Western Barley Growers Association president Brian Otto said the organization supports legislation that would allow farmers to opt out of the CWB.
