Open market and single desk supporters have finally found something they can agree on.
Neither side wants the federal government to bring in the open market for barley Aug. 1.
But open market supporters want it to happen sooner, while single deskers, including the Canadian Wheat Board, want it to happen later or not at all.
The federal government has set Aug. 1 as the date on which single desk marketing of feed and malting barley through the CWB will end.
But last week several farm and grain industry groups that support the open market said they don’t want to wait that long.
Read Also
Petition launched over grazing lease controversy
Battle continues between the need for generation of tax revenue from irrigation and the preservation of native grasslands in southern Alberta rural municipality.
They want what they’re calling “Barley Freedom Day” to happen June 15, saying that would make for a smoother transition and provide more “market certainty” to maltsters, exporters, producers and customers.
“An early implementation date gives more farmers a chance to lock in some good barley prices,” said Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel, president of the open-market oriented Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.
“The sooner we obtain choice, the sooner farmers can start reaping the benefits.”
They were joined by the Western Barley Growers Association and the Alberta Barley Commission in calling for the June 15 changeover date.
Those on the other side of the issue say Aug. 1 is too soon and the government should put things on hold until the courts resolve the legality of its plan.
CWB chair Ken Ritter said Ottawa should delay implementation by a year, and seek a court ruling on the legality of its plan to make the change by regulation rather than legislation.
“Legal uncertainty leads to commercial uncertainty,” he said, adding that if the government makes changes that are later found to be illegal, things could get “extremely messy.”
The CWB’s board of directors, which discussed the issue at a meeting in Winnipeg last week, hasn’t decided whether to launch a legal challenge itself.
Ritter added that it’s impossible to determine the grounds or chances of success for a court challenge until the government releases the actual regulatory order.
In a statement released through a spokesperson, CWB minister Chuck Strahl provided no hint as to whether the government would consider changing the implementation date.
“We are currently reviewing the comments received on the draft regulations and will be releasing the final regulations in the not so distant future,” he said.
