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,

Head baker makes sure the slice is right

Tony Tweed knew about the unique quality of Canadian bread wheats long before he was recruited to Canada in the mid-1960s to establish its first commercial baking school at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton. “I worked with a lot of Canadian wheat flour in England,” the British-born and -trained baker said. “Everybody


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

Wheat advances slow, says Interlake farmer

The wheat cash advance that once took hours to obtain through the Canadian Wheat Board is taking weeks through the Canadian Canola Growers Association, Fisher Branch farmer Bill Uruski says. “It has been a nightmare,” Uruski said in an interview from his farm May 4. Uruski, who farms with his son Barclay, said Barclay applied


CWB’s PROs for wheat/barley unchanged

The Canadian Wheat Board has left unchanged its March price projections for wheat and barley that will be delivered by western Canadian producers during the 2011-12 crop year. Durum values were raised by C$1 to C$3 per tonne with the increase dependent on the grade and class. The CWB linked the increase in durum to

Pasta plant on hold

AGT says it’s a maybe for 2013 Alliance Grain Traders Inc. has put its plan to build a $50-million pasta-processing plant in Regina on hold, citing uncertainty in the North American market and the need to focus on working capital. “Pending developments, such as the de-monopolization of the Canadian Wheat Board and the proposed sale


CWB continues to shrink

The Canadian Wheat Board will be down to one-quarter of its previous staff by the time it loses its monopoly Aug. 1, a downsizing critics call disappointing, but predictable. But some are also questioning whether the board’s top five executives should continue to receive salaries and benefits totalling $2.3 million annually, including $807,000 in pay

Wheat buyers fret as Canadian grain monopoly ends

Reuters / Global wheat importers fear the quality of Canada’s prized spring wheat and durum may deteriorate once the Canadian Wheat Board loses its marketing monopoly, creating problems for makers of breads and pasta. A broad swath of wheat buyers, including Japan, known as the most quality-conscious wheat importer, has raised concerns that the consistent,


Constitution expert likes FCWB’s chances

There’s a good possibility that the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board will win its case, according to Peter Russell, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto. “The wheat board is pretty well dismantled, but I think it (the legal challenge) has quite a chance of success,” Russell, one of Canada’s leading

Appeal Court to rule on legality of CWB changes

The Federal Court ruling that found Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz broke the Canadian Wheat Board Act last fall, will be heard by the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa May 23. If the ruling is upheld Stewart Wells, a former wheat board director and member of the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board (FCWB), expects