A coalition of prairie farm groups has issued a series of questions they say farmers should think about as they consider life without the single desk.
The questions cover the impact on price premiums, pooling, risk management, market power, producer cars, short-line railways, transportation and freight rates, access to the elevator system, inland terminals and international trade issues.
“It is important that farmers make the right decisions in terms of the systems that should be maintained and determine what changes, if any, should be made,” said the coalition, which includes Keystone Agricultural Producers, Wild Rose Agricultural Producers, Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and the National Farmers Union.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
The groups originally joined forces last month to lobby the government to hold a producer plebiscite before making changes to the CWB’s marketing powers.
The federal government recently announced it will hold a barley marketing plebiscite in January. It has made no commitment to hold a wheat plebiscite.
However, APAS and SARM declined to attach their names to the document recently released.
APAS said it agrees on the need for a plebiscite on the future of the CWB, but wants to remain neutral in the single desk debate.
“To do our job of properly serving Saskatchewan producers, we cannot risk being perceived as picking one side or another side in this debate,” said APAS president Ken McBride.
SARM delegates meeting in Saskatoon last week voted to stay out of the single desk debate, saying that’s something for the federal government and farmers to decide.
The full document and list of questions can be found on the KAP website at www.kap.mb.ca.
