The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association wants the Canadian Grain Commission to take a step back before it raises user fees.
The CGC is putting the cart before the horse, association president Kevin Bender said in a news release.
“Before any fee increases occur, we first need to determine which services are still needed and whether some services might be better handled by the private sector,” he said.
The commission recently held public meetings in Canada, which were designed to get farmer and industry opinion on cost recovery.
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“We’re asking how much more farmers and industry are willing to pay,” said a spokesperson.
The commission has suggested that increases of up to 100 percent might be needed for some fees.
The wheat growers, which generally favour deregulation, recommended to the commission that a number of mandatory services be made optional to save money. For example, it said commission grading isn’t needed when grain is unloaded at port terminals.
It also said CGC grading should be made optional on all export shipments. It is now optional on shipments to the U.S. and domestic processors.
“The wheat growers believe buyers and sellers are in the best position to determine whether any particular service adds value to their shipments,” said Bender.
The association also said CGC fees should be competitive with those charged by inspection and regulatory agencies in other countries.
