Struthers Opposes Ottawa’s Open-Market Move

With many Manitoba farmers struggling to seed this year’s crop, news that the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) sales monopoly will end Aug. 1, 2012 comes at a bad time, says Manitoba Agriculture Minister Stan Struthers. “The last thing they needed was to have the federal Conservative government come along and run a knife through the

Manitoba Farmers Struggle To Seed

Souris-area farmer Walter Finlay managed to seed two-thirds of his 2,900 acres in 2010. This year he hasn’t planted an acre. “It’s a combination of the fact that we were so wet last year and then we had 3-1/2 inches in October so we went into winter wet and then we had a bunch of


In Brief… – for Jun. 2, 2011

No moose:Moose-hunting seasons have been cancelled in the Porcupine Mountains (Game Hunting Areas 13 and 13A) for 2011, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie has announced. Cancellation of all moose-hunting seasons for 2011 is in addition to cancellations previously announced for (GHAs 14 and 14A) in the region. Other management decisions such as reducing access to the

Letters – for Jun. 2, 2011

Well, Stephen Harper and his Tories finally have their longed-for majority. Harper tells us in his victory speech that “we will have to govern well, govern in people’s interest” and that “even as a majority you have to, on an ongoing basis, keep the trust of the population.” Is that going to be the case


Government Has The Power To Strip CWB, But Not The Right

The recent announcement by the newly elected federal government to strip the Canadian Wheat Board of its single-desk powers is contrary to recent pre-election promises to allow farmers to decide that for themselves through CWB director elections. We can now see these were empty election promises to garner support during the federal election.

ICE Canada To Trade Wheat As Monopoly Ends

ICE Futures Canada will launch spring wheat and durum contracts early next year to take advantage of Ottawa’s planned dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board’s grain monopoly, its chief operating officer said on May 19. The spring wheat contract will compete for liquidity with one offered by the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, but will also complement


Show Farmers A Workable Plan

The federal government must demonstrate the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) long-term viability in an open market or take responsibility for winding it down, says Keystone Agricultural Producers’ president Doug Chorney. “Show me a business plan that the wheat board is actually going to function in a dual market,” the farmer from East Selkirk said in

Canola Growers Shun Voluntary CWB Pilot Project

The Grandview-area farmer who first suggested exploring a voluntary marketing program for canola through the Canadian Wheat Board says he still thinks it’s a good idea. But he isn’t surprised farmers refused to support it. Larry Bohdanovich brought forward the resolution at the Manitoba Canola Growers Association’s (MCGA) annual meeting in 2006 asking it to


Letters – for May. 19, 2011

This letter is in response to Carl Classen’s letter of May 5, 2011, wherein he states: “I strongly object to the efforts of the Manitoba Canola Growers to put canola under the Canadian Wheat Board.” Nothing could be further from the truth. MCGA directors were very clear in media interviews (as well as in the

Cargill Calls For Orderly End To Orderly Marketing

The Canadian government should give the grain industry at least six months to adjust before ending the Canadian Wheat Board’s grain monopoly, the chief executive of Cargill’s Canadian subsidiary said May 11. A good time for the change, which would allow Western Canada’s farmers to sell their wheat and barley to anyone they choose instead