KAP’s Policy On The CWB

The future of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and the Canadian government s decision to remove its single-desk marketing structure continues to be the paramount issue affecting Prairie farmers this fall. Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) has strived to take a balanced approach in dealing with this issue while using our official policy positions as guidelines.

Letters – for Oct. 27, 2011

We welcome readers comments on issues that have been covered in the Manitoba Co-operator.In most cases we cannot accept open letters or copies of letters which have been sent to several publications. Letters are subject to editing for length or taste. We suggest a maximum of about 300 words. Please forward letters to ManitobaCo-operator, 1666DublinAve.,Winnipeg,


Conservatives Pull Out All Stops To Ram CWB Bill Into Law

CO-OPERATOR CONTRIBUTOR / OTTAWA The Conservatives have the legislation to strip the Canadian Wheat Board of its wheat and barley monopoly on a forced march through Parliament. Second reading debate began Oct. 19 and was set to conclude Oct. 24 as theCo-operatorwas going to press. The government will use its majority to give the bill

Larger Economic Issues Weigh On Canola

column Canola futures on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform resumed a downward price trend during the week ended Oct. 21. Losses were attributed to the price declines experienced by CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) soybeans and outright liquidation by speculative fund accounts. Elevator company hedge selling was also evident, especially when canola showed signs


Viterra Says CWB Can Thrive In Open Market

Winnipeg / reuters Canada s biggest grain handler, Viterra Inc., is willing to work with the Canadian Wheat Board in an open-market system and thinks the board can thrive without its marketing monopoly, chief executive Mayo Schmidt said Oct. 21. If the wheat board chooses to engage with industry to frame out a relationship and

Marketing Freedom Bill Hits House

When Bill 18 the Grain Marketing Freedom for Farmers Act becomes law, the board s 10 farmer-elected directors will be fired and the five remaining government-appointed directors, including current president and CEO Ian White, will be in charge. Grain companies will be allowed to forward contract wheat, durum and barley for the 2011-12 crop year.


Millions For Churchill

The Port of Churchill is getting millions of federal dollars to help it adjust to an open market starting Aug. 1, 2012. Eighty-five per cent of the total traffic, and almost all of the grain exported through Prairie Canada s only seaport, comes from the Canadian Wheat Board. Last year it exported 659,000 tonnes of

Ottawa Backs Push To Increase Exports Of Organic Foods

STAFF / The federal government is spending $195,000 to promote Canadian organic products abroad. The money will go to the Canada Organic Trade Association to enhance the industry s competitiveness in global markets, said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Canada s organic farmers produce some of the world s most wholesome and healthy food, and are


“Free Your Milk” Campaign Launched

Over half of Canadians think dairy products are too expensive, according to a recent survey by a restaurant and food services association. The current system is making Canadian milk and cheese less attractive and less affordable for everyone, said Garth Whyte, president and CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). The survey conducted

The Grain Trade Must Step Up

Throughout its history, this newspaper s editorial position has been that Prairie farmers are better off economically by selling wheat and barley through the Canadian Wheat Board. That has not changed, but since the board s end seems inevitable, we have recently focused not on saying don t do it but rather on emphasizing just