Collection responsibilities shift | Interim levy collection system will move to provincially run commissions by 2017
The Western Grains Research Foundation will continue to manage producer checkoffs carefully as changes are made to levy collection systems in Western Canada.
Dave Sefton, who was recently re-elected as WGRF chair, said the funding landscape supporting western Canadian cereal grain research and varietal development is evolving.
The establishment of provincial wheat and barley commissions in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba marks a significant change to the way producer levies will be collected and distributed.
Interim measures that took effect last August mean producer levies will continue to be collected on wheat and barley produced in Western Canada.
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The Alberta Barley Commission collects the levies and distributes them to the WGRF, the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) and the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC).
However, the responsibility for collecting, managing and distributing producer check-off money will likely fall to the provincial commissions by 2017.
“The interim check-off (mechanism) that is in place … has a five-year sunset on it and industry needs to be in a position to continue that work after those five years,” said Sefton, who farms near Broadview, Sask.
“That collection responsibility will move, in all likelihood, to the provincial commissions and it will be those provincial commissions that determine the role that they wish the WGRF to play with respect to varietal development.… In the meantime, we’re going to continue to ensure that variety development work continues uninterrupted and that we are there to provide … (our) services to the commission should they choose to have us carry out that work on their behalf.
“At the end of the day … it’s farmers’ money and whether it’s farmers’ money being managed by the WGRF or the provincial commissions … we are committed to ensuring that farmers money is used well.”
Sefton said the recently established Barley Council of Canada has requested that it be represented on the WGRF’s technical committee.
“The barley council has asked to have a representative on that committee and we will oblige,” he said.
The foundation has not been involved in the formation of a national cereals council, which is expected to be operating by the end of the year.
However, the foundation is aware of the process, and WGRF board members are being kept apprised of the council’s progress.
