After reading Dwayne Marshman’s letter to the Editor (WP Sept. 1), I am shaking my head in wonderment.
I am trying to figure out how you can say we will lose our choice by being able to market our grain outside the Canadian Wheat Board.
As it is now we have no choice. Farmers sell wheat and malt barley to the board or do not grow it. With that thinking, why do the strong board supporters grow canola, peas and oats? Oh, I know, because of the better returns than they get from board grains.
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As for the storage premium, where do you think that comes from? It comes from the pool account and is just another way the CWB tries to make you think that they are getting a bonus for you. The same is true of the malt barley storage premium. It comes from the pool account, not from some money tree in the back of the fancy CWB building in Winnipeg.
Another head scratcher is how you can compare the West with Ontario and Quebec. They can sell to whomever they choose and have many options for markets. Go there and tell them that they should be selling through a single desk system like we in the West have to and see the answer you will get.
If the board officials are really concerned about getting higher returns for the farmers, then adopt a new strategy and move forward, because the way things are now will be changing. At least, they better. I hope.
Iver Johnson,Dundurn, Sask.
