Hard To Sink This Deal

The reaction to last week’s announcement that the Canadian Wheat Board is investing in lake freighters was for the most part predictable. Some farm groups actually think it’s a wise investment and a practical thing for the board to do. It’s certainly not the first time the board has invested in transportation infrastructure. And in

Letters – for Feb. 24, 2011

Regarding the story “All producers have a role in welfare image,” in the Feb. 17Manitoba Co-operator,I agree with the succinct differentiation provided by the executive director of the Ontario Farm Animal Council, Crystal MacKay. This is exactly the message that I have been trying to get across. All animal activists have been painted with the


CWB Earned $5.2 Billion In 2009-10

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) earned $5.2 billion in gross revenues in 2009-10 on the sale of 21 million tonnes of wheat, durum and barley, resulting in returns to western Canadian farmers of $4.6 billion. Farmer returns were down from the previous two crop years, according to the CWB’s annual report released Feb. 18, but

CWB Is Buying Boats

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) defended its controversial decision to buy into the Great Lakes shipping fleet last week, saying it will ultimately mean higher returns for farmers. The board’s goal is not only to get the best returns for farmers, but to cut their costs too, said CWB chair Allen Oberg. Oberg said the


Best In The West

AC Metcalfe, a two-row malting barley variety, is the winner of Seed of the Year – West in 2010, the Western Grains Research Foundation has announced. Part of the western award is a scholarship for $4,000 awarded to a student enrolled in a western Canadian university and currently completing a masters or PhD in plant

The Business Case For Farmers Owning Lake Freighters

The Canadian Wheat Board has decided to purchase two lake vessels, based on a very strong business case that will result in significant economic benefits for Prairie farmers. This investment will generate revenue for decades to come, and pay for itself many times over – just as CWB ownership of rail hopper cars has done.


Letters – for Feb. 17, 2011

Wheat sold at a loss The 2009 crop took a year to get all the money from the Canadian Wheat Board. My cost to plant and harvest 160 acres was $25,897. When I got my last payment of $23,686 I lost $2,211 and did not charge for labour. I got $2.45 per bushel for No.

“Corn Pone” Opinions Don’t Serve Farmers

I would like to respond to John DePape’s ongoing criticism of the Canadian Wheat Board and DePape’s disparaging remarks about Travacon. Travacon has been called upon as an expert witness on several high-level rail hearings and it was Travacon’s analysis


Farmers Need Equal Treatment

Gerry Ritz doesn’t understand the wishes of western farmers who do not want to give up the Canadian Wheat Board in favour of the open-market system that the U.S. and Australia

Voluntary CWB Proposed In Bill C-619

Ontario MP Bruce Stanton has introduced a private members’ bill to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s singledesk marketing authority. Bill C-619 would give farmers the ability to “opt out” of having to market their wheat and barley destined for export or domestic human consumption through the CWB for at least two years at a time.