White reappointed to CWB

Ian White has been reappointed president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) for a two-year term, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said last week. “Mr. White has shown exceptional leadership during a time of significant transition for the CWB. He has my full support and confidence in continuing to lead the CWB

Leadership takes many forms

It’s safe to say that Wilf Harder of Lowe Farm and Ernie Sirski of Dauphin have been on different sides of a debate in agriculture a time or two over the years, but there is one thing upon which these farmers do agree. This industry needs more people willing to step up, speak their minds


CWB retirees keep indexed pensions

No matter what happens to revamped Canadian Wheat Board, its retired employees will still receive indexed pensions. The federal government gave $348 million last year to cover CWB’s “legacy liabilities,” including pensions and pensioners’ benefits. Some of those funds were used to purchase a $150-million indexed group annuity buy-in from Sun Life Financial, the CWB

Researcher wants to know if farmers are happy with the contracts they sign

Production, marketing, and technology-use contracts are increasingly common but are they fair to farmers or tilted in companies’ favour?

Lots of farmers don’t like them but are production, marketing, and technology-use contracts unfair to farmers? “We still hear from our members that the contracts are typically quite one-sided,” said Doug Faller, policy manager with the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan. “Now with the changes to the wheat board and so on, the need for addressing


CWB issues final annual report from single-desk era

Ownership of the board's assets is still disputed

Cereals sold through the Canadian Wheat Board last year fetched prices ranging from $7.48 to $15.30 a tonne more than U.S. prices, the board’s final annual report under the single-desk era shows. The Canadian Wheat Board earned $7.2 billion in revenue, distributing $4.85 billion to farmers — the third highest for both on record —



Funds assist with malt barley analysis

Staff / Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) has been granted $82,000 from the Western Diversification Program to do more complex testing and analysis of malting barley to meet increased international barley quality standards. “This investment will allow the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre to strengthen the international competitiveness of Western Canada’s malt and malting

Ottawa urges Canadian grain industry to pull together

Danny Penner, the iconoclast who wants Canada’s farmers to get their voices together, has a fan in high places. “I read your blog. I think it’s great,” Greg Meredith, an assistant deputy minister with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada told Penner during a question period April 2 during the Canada Grains Council’s annual meeting in Winnipeg.


Move grain out before water moves in

Province will consider lifting spring weight restrictions on Manitoba roads if 
producers need to move grain or livestock out of flood-affected areas

When the flood waters come, grain stops moving — and that means farmers better hurry if they want to empty some bins and recharge their bank account this spring, industry officials say. And unlike past floods, the Canadian Wheat Board won’t be overseeing grain movement to ensure there’s plenty of elevator space for those needing

Spring seeding well underway in Europe

Reuters / Spring seeding is in full flow in western Europe with a sharp rise in area expected in Britain after wet weather wrecked autumn plantings, but a significant drop is anticipated in Germany due to much more favourable conditions. In France, the EU’s top grain producer, conditions were generally satisfactory, with mild, dry weather