EDMONTON – An Alberta farmer has gone on a hunger strike to pressure the Canadian Wheat Board into issuing grain export permits.
Tom Jackson of Ardrossan announced his hunger strike at the end of his presentation to the Western Grain Marketing Panel.
Jackson wants either the federal agriculture minister or wheat board officials to issue no-cost grain buy-back permits to prairie farmers.
This would allow farmers to sell their grain to the United States or other foreign markets without buying grain back from the wheat board at higher prices.
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Because the hunger strike announcement was tossed out at the end of Jackson’s presentation, panel members and the audience weren’t sure if he was serious.
During the afternoon question period, panel member Bill Duke asked Jackson to clarify his hunger strike comment.
“I wasn’t sure whether you were talking about the hunger felt by your farm or if you were talking personally,” said Duke.
Jackson assured the panel it was a personal hunger strike.
“I take this very personally. We farmers are slaves of the Canadian Wheat Board and I take it that seriously.
“I’m asking for no-cost, buy-back permits for any farmer that wants it within a reasonable price of what the market is trading at in the world market.”
The wheat board publishes a daily buy-back grain price for the United States market based on what the board is getting for grain sold to the U.S. It is generally higher than the wheat board’s initial price to Canadian farmers.
Serious threat
Ward Weisensel, marketing manager for the wheat board’s Asia/Pacific desk, attended the panel meeting and was asked if the board was taking the hunger strike seriously.
“That’s up to Mr. Jackson,” he said.
“He wants to be able to buy the wheat back from the board at less than market price in the U.S. and go down and make that profit for himself. … All producers have a right to that market and Mr. Jackson does not have an exclusive right for himself.”
Jackson wasn’t optimistic the wheat board would listen to his request, but he’s hoping panel members would pass the hunger strike information along to agriculture minister Ralph Goodale.
The minister has the power to issue no-cost, buy-back permits tomorrow, said Jackson.
When asked if a hunger strike was a drastic measure, Jackson said: “It’s pretty drastic about arresting people, seizing their trucks and all those things. I would like a civil resolution to this dispute and a stopping of anarchy in this country and Ralph Goodale has the ability at his finger tips and he won’t stop the anarchy and that is why I’m so perturbed and upset.”
Jackson was referring to farmers who have been arrested for trying to sell their grain across the border without proper permits.
Tom Molloy, chair of the marketing panel, said he doesn’t think a hunger strike is the proper way to resolve problems between farmers and industry.
