A room full of white sailor hats met Ian White as he walked into last week’s Western Barley Growers Association convention. “I’ve got the point in terms of the hats,” the Canadian Wheat Board president said.
The lighthearted protest demonstrated how many of the members felt about the board’s decision to spend $65 million on two ships to move grain on the Great Lakes.
“The laker issue is one of those that highlights some of the differences in the industry,” White said at the meeting, held Feb. 17-18 in Calgary.
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He said the ship purchase is a good business deal because it will ultimately save money.
However, he also understood the concerns about using farmers’ money from the pool accounts and the secrecy that surrounded the deal as it was being negotiated. The board spends $75 million a year to hire grain ships on the Great Lakes, but those costs will now drop.
“When the returns start to kick in, that bill will be reduced by at least $10 million a year.”
Barley growers passed a resolution that said farmers should have had a say in their level of involvement in financing the ships, including the amount of financing and possibly opting out completely.
Market analyst John DePape of Winnipeg is running an online survey asking farmers for their views on the decision. About 600 had responded as of last week and 92 percent were opposed.
Those who provided comments said it was because the money was coming from the pool accounts.
White said the board plans its own surveys in the next few months, but farmers who want more information or have a complaint should speak to their elected representatives.
“The elected directors of the wheat board are the people they should be talking to about that,” said White.
“The directors of the wheat board were compelled by a good looking business case, but they are also concerned about taking money out of the pool,” he said.
