Early this month, prairie barley producers will get a better idea of the rules governing the barley marketing plebiscite scheduled for late February.
The federal government has announced the consulting firm KPMG of Winnipeg will organize and run the vote to determine whether the Canadian Wheat Board will maintain control over all barley exports and domestic malting sales.
Details of the procedures for the mail-in vote are to be outlined in early January.
In announcing the hiring of the Winnipeg firm in December, federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale said it is part of the government’s effort to make the vote independent and fair.
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“The contracting of an independent firm with the necessary expertise and professional credentials to oversee this vote is the most effective way to ensure an impartial and accurate process,” he said.
KPMG organized last year’s country-wide series of agriculture “round table consultations” on opportunities for the food sector.
Those consultations ended with a conference in Winnipeg and production of a “business plan” for the grain sector.
Gracey reappointed
Veteran cattle industry official Charlie Gracey has been reappointed a temporary member of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, the federal body which judges complaints that products are being unfairly dumped into the Canadian market.
Gracey is a former senior official of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. He has been working on implementation of the new grading system for the industry.
Gracey was appointed a full member of the tribunal in 1990 by the former Conservative government and left his job as general manager of the CCA to take the position.
Last year, the Liberal government appointed him as a temporary member and in mid-December, renewed that appointment.
