Ottawa allocates $349 million for voluntary CWB

The money, similar to what the former 
directors estimated, 
will cover open-market 
transition costs

The federal government will spend up to $349 million to cover the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) extraordinary costs as it moves to an open market Aug. 1. “The CWB must be as nimble, flexible and efficient as possible without being encumbered with costs related to the past,” Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said at a news



Being right can feel wrong

There are times in life when you like to be proven wrong, like when you take your wailing newborn to the hospital emergency ward in the middle of the night fearing something is terribly amiss. In that situation, it’s a huge relief to be told you are mistaken. And there are times when any pleasure

Appeal Court upholds “marketing freedom” law

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz didn’t break the law by introducing legislation to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly, the Federal Court of Appeal has ruled. “We are pleased with this decision,” Ritz said in an email. In December, Federal Court Justice Douglas Campbell agreed with the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board that Ritz breached


Canadian Grain Commission preparing for its next 100 years

Higher fees, outside inspectors, and mandate change in the works, 
and changes to wheat variety registration may follow

Major changes are coming to the Canadian Grain Commission. “We’ve been around 100 years,” said CGC chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson. “If we want to be relevant for the next 100 years we have to make some changes to adapt to an industry that’s changing very quickly so we’re… providing the right services at that right

CWB announces more handling agreements, Japan sale

Farmers can now deliver to the wheat board through 120 elevators 
across the West and more grain companies are expected to participate

Things are starting to look up for the Canadian Wheat Board. Last week it announced six more grain companies will handle its grain making it practical for farmers across the West to patronize the board, and it announced a big wheat sale to Japan. Until the new handling agreements were announced June 21 at the


Cigi appoints three farmers to its board

With farmers paying for part of its funding directly, Cigi says it’s important to get them more involved in governance

Three Prairie farmers have been appointed to the Canadian International Grains Institute’s six-member board, just one of many changes to the institute in the wake of the Canadian Wheat Board end of its sales monopoly Aug. 1. Cigi, which teaches customers how to use Canadian crops, was founded in 1972 by the wheat board and

Higher prices lure farmers

Reuters / Canadian farmers intend to plant nearly a million acres more wheat than the industry expected in the first year of an open grain market, along with a record-large canola crop, Statistics Canada reported late last month in its initial forecast of 2012 planting intentions. Drier-than-normal weather in Western Canada, stretching back to last


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

Canada pushing Japan to take older Canuck beef

Efforts to get Japan to reopen its borders to Canadian beef less than 30 months of age “are proceeding well,” says Pierre Lemieux. “They are assuring us that progress is being made, that work is underway and there is certainly a good spirit of willingness and co-operation,” said Lemieux, parliamentary secretary to the minister of