Checkoff system needs to be credible

It is laudable that the federal government has moved to set up an interim checkoff to support research, market development and technical assistance for the grain sector. The Western Grain Research Foundation (WGRF), the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) and the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) are major assets to the western grain industry

Letters, June 7, 2012

Farmers own CWB assets Gerry Ritz, once again, attempts to justify the confiscation of the contingency fund and other assets of the Canadian Wheat Board single desk, “Contingency fund not owed to farmers” in the May 31 issue. He is correct in stating that the fund was not generated by the CWB’s “normal” pooling operation


AAFC clarifies checkoff administrator’s authority

The federal government plans to sign an agreement with the Alberta Barley Commission to dictate how farmers’ money collected from the proposed new interim wheat and barley checkoff for research and market development is spent. “ABC and AAFC (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) intend to enter into an agreement that will specify what dollars-per-tonne amounts that

Viterra shareholders back Glencore

Reuters / Shareholders of Canada’s largest grain handler, Viterra Inc., voted overwhelmingly May 29 in favour of a friendly takeover bid by Swiss commodities trader Glencore International Plc., pushing the biggest deal in years for the global agricultural sector closer to reality. The deal was supported by 99.8 per cent of shareholders, far more than


CWB producer contracts change

CWB is advising Prairie farmers that important changes have been made to CWB permit and contract processes for the 2012-13 crop year. These changes have been made to streamline CWB processes for the new marketing environment and align with new IT system requirements. Landlords and interested parties who share in a producer’s returns can no

KAP questions checkoff administrator

The Keystone Agricultural Producers is miffed over a federal decision to appoint the Alberta Barley Commission as administrator for the new interim checkoff on western wheat and barley. “I can’t see why KAP couldn’t have handled it or why the Canola Growers or Corn Growers couldn’t,” KAP president Doug Chorney said in an interview last


Ottawa appealed ruling against Ritz on CWB Act

The Federal Court of Appeal reserved its decision May 23 after hearing the federal government’s appeal of a ruling last year that Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz broke the law by not consulting with farmers before ending the Canadian Wheat Board single desk. The Appeal Court hasn’t signalled when it will render a decision. But its

CWB has limited success striking deals with grain handlers

The Canadian Wheat Board’s limited success in teaming up with grain handlers to survive the loss of its marketing monopoly is raising doubts about price pooling, a nearly century-old way for farmers to manage their price risk. The CWB, which loses its monopoly on Aug. 1 and becomes one of many buyers of farmers’ grain,


People make the quality

It had been a long day for the 35 people working for the Canadian International Grains Institute, and it was far from over. But as the last tour of the day made its rounds at the open house celebrating the institute’s 40th anniversary, there was nothing to indicate that the presenters had done this many,

Cigi: A 40-year success story

The Canadian International Grains Institute is living proof that good things can come from hard times. Back in 1970, Canada’s bins were bursting with a record wheat carry-over of 27.45 million tonnes — more than half of it on farms. The wheat carry-over was three times larger than the 9.79 million tonnes exported that crop