CAMROSE, Alta. – If Alberta farmers are tempted to run the Canada/U.S. border with truckloads of grain without the proper Canadian Wheat Board export permits, Buck Spencer wants to make sure they’re armed with good information.
“If I can’t stop them, I’m going to help them get in the least trouble as possible,” said Spencer, president of the Western Barley Growers Association.
Spencer said while he’s not in favor of farmers crossing the border into Montana to try and sell their grain, some farmers feel it’s their only option.
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And if they’re going to cross the border he wants to make sure they are armed with knowledge so they don’t get in trouble, he said, stressing the Western Barley Growers Association is not involved in such actions.
He has encouraged producers to make sure they have end-use certificates and a home for their grain before crossing the border. He also wants to make sure they have the proper fuel permits.
“I want to make sure farmers have done their homework.”
He was unwilling to say when the border crossing will take place because he’s not sure it will happen. Montana farmers don’t want Canadian grain plugging their elevators and may try and stop such an event.
“Montana is such a hotbed. That’s why I’m being so secretive.”
Protest planned
The Farmers for Justice, a group protesting the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly on western grown wheat and barley, said it is organizing a protest shipment to cross the border into the U.S. at Coutts, Alta., returning April 23.
While Spencer is willing to help the farmers who want to haul grain, he’s holding federal minister of agriculture Ralph Goodale responsible if anything goes wrong. He accused Goodale of using “goon tactics” to stop other farmers from crossing the border in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to sell their grain.
He also accused Alberta agriculture minister Walter Paszkowski of sitting on the fence in the dual market debate. A plebiscite late last year said Alberta farmers want the option of selling grain to the CWB or into the open market.
The government has enough ammunition to push for a dual market with its Alberta-government commissioned report on dual marketing by Colin Carter and two pro dual marketing resolutions passed at the Progressive Conservative’s annual meeting, he said.
He said Paszkowski can pass legislation to remove Alberta from the wheat board designated area even if it is a federal regulation.
“Walter is sitting on the sidelines and saying legally we can’t do this.
“If Alberta passed legislation it would bring things to a head sooner or later.”
