Grain committed to a closed, “new generation” co-op should be exempt from Canadian Wheat Board pooling, according to Manitoba’s farm lobby group.
At an annual meeting here last week, members of Keystone Agricultural Producers voted to support new closed co-operatives in the province.
Grant Maddess, who farms near Deloraine, Man., said farmers need to add value to their grain by processing it because of the loss of the Crow transportation subsidy.
While more farmers are feeding grain to livestock, fueling a boom in the province, he said they need to set up processing projects that use grains too.
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Maple Leaf said it would not have decided to build its new pork processing plant in Brandon if hogs had continued to be sold only through Manitoba Pork, a central desk selling agency, said Maddess.
If a wheat-processing co-op were restrained in buying wheat from its members because of the Canadian Wheat Board, it would be difficult to run the operation, he said.
“Vote against this resolution, you’re voting against value-added processing,” said Maddess.
Alan Ransom, who farms near Boissevain, said grain bound for closed co-ops should be exempt from pooling, but not from other wheat board control. Organic wheat is already exempt from the pool, he noted.
He said the wheat board is looking at how to make it easier for closed co-ops using wheat or barley to set up shop on the Prairies.
Some KAP members expressed fears the move would leave the door open for other exemptions, weakening the wheat board.
“We’ve got a good marketing agency with the wheat board: I’m a little worried about tinkering with it,” said Andy Baker of Beausejour.
But Glen Franklin of Deloraine, said it’s important for the wheat board to be able to respond creatively to new processing ideas.
