Market Power: 50 Years Forward, 50 Years Back

As a farmer, I m alarmed at an elected government denying farmers a say in arguably the most important question in the history of Prairie farming. Without the marketing and representative power of the Canadian Wheat Board, grain farmers would be a scattered bunch of thousands peddling their wares to a handful of powerful grain

Letters – for Sep. 29, 2011

Farmers deserve freedom of choice It is correct that 62 per cent of eligible farmers, deemed by the CWB, voted in favour of protecting the monopoly of the CWB, a foregone conclusion. When the math is done right, confirmed by Sidney Green, it is in fact only 34 per cent of all farmers. However, whatever


Australia To Further Deregulate Wheat Exports

CANBERRA/REUTERS Australia will abolish its wheat export regulator and a levy on all wheat exports from Sept. 30, 2012, Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said Sept. 23, as the country moves to further deregulate its wheat exports market. However, the changes will be 12 months later than recommended by a major report into wheat exports, which

Post CWB-Monopoly Road Map Going To Ritz Soon

Aroad map for transitioning the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) to an open market will be in Agriculture Minister Ritz s hands soon. An Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada (AFFC) working group set up in July was to submit its report Sept. 15. Ritz had not received it as of Sept. 17, an official in his


Is Supply Management Next?

The Conservative government s decision to end the Canadian Wheat Board s monopoly has supply management s critics in the media, business and academia sharpening their knives. Not surprisingly, the detractors are saying it s also time for an open market in milk, eggs, chicken and turkey. If marketing freedom and open markets are good

Co-Operator Editor Receives International Writing Award

Co-operatoreditor Laura Rance has placed third in an internat ional writing competition focused on sustainable agriculture, contest organizers announced Sept. 17. The newly launched IFAJYara Award for Reporting on Sustainable Agriculture honoured the top three entries at the recent International Federation of Agr icultural Journalists (IFAJ) congress held here last week. The competition, which drew


Saudi Arabia A Big Buyer Of Barley In 2011

ABU DHABI/REUTERS Saudi Arabia is set to import seven million to 7.5 million tonnes of barley this year and is looking at long term deals with major grain exporter Ukraine, the finance minister of the world s biggest barley buyer said on Sept. 7. We import around seven to 7.5 million tonnes of barley as

Brewers And Maltsters Fund Barley Research

he Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute (BMBRI) has announced a total of $92,000 in funding for five projects this year. BMBRI represents brewing and malting companies from Canada and across North America. We recognize that barley acreage has fallen over the past several years, and our members want to contribute to research what will


FCWB’s Court Case Continues

Legal action to force Ottawa to hold a plebiscite on whether to keep or end the Canadian Wheat Board s (CWB) single desk will be heard in Federal Court. On Sept. 9 a Federal Court prothonotary rejected the federal government s application to dismiss the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board s (FCWB) application filed

Australian Trade Minister Supports End To Single Desk

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has a new high-profile ally in his quest to end the Canadian Wheat Board s (CWB) single desk Australian trade minister Craig Emerson. The Australian Wheat Board s export monopoly ended in 2008 and Emerson said it has been a great success. The Australian experience has been unambiguously good, he said