Winding Down The Canadian Wheat Board

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) will be “wound down” if the federal government delivers on its promise to end the board’s single-desk marketing authority next Aug. 1, says CWB chair Allen Oberg. Ottawa, not farmers, should cover the millions of dollars in costs, including employee severances, pensions and delivery contact defaults, the board said in

Churchill’s First Grain Ship Arrives

Churchill’s port may not survive the dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board, says Manitoba’s minister through Churchill, then this port doesn’t have a very bright future.” Last week, the MV Pacific Bulker loaded approximately 27,000 tonnes of Canada Western Red Spring wheat destined for Nigeria. Wheat and barley represent most of Churchill’s traffic, Struthers noted.



“Endnotes” On The CWB’s Future

The following is the endnotes from the recently published paper by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy called “Removal of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly: Future changes for farmers and the grain industry.” The paper concludes that while the loss of the board’s monopoly will be challenging, Western Canada’s sophisticated farmers will adapt to find


More About Money And Power Than Freedom

After surviving 14 challenges by the Americans (ruled in favour of the Canadian Wheat Board by dispute panel each time) Prime Minister Harper will dismantle the CWB in short order and Americanize the system. The CWB, which is “uniquely Canadian,” has

Time To Line Up Winter Wheat Seed

With an estimated three million unseeded acres in Manitoba, a lot of farmers are expected to seed winter wheat later this month. “The supply (of winter wheat seed) will be good but the demand will be high,” Todd Hyra, SeCan’s business manager for Western Canada said in an interview Aug. 5. “I’d say call your


Canola Tops For Farm Cash Receipts In 2010

Canola continues to be the darling of cash crops grossing Canadian farmers $5.6 billion in 2010 – more than any other crop, according to Statistics Canada. “Canola has become the most profitable crop for Prairie growers,” Canola Council of Canada president JoAnne Buth told the council’s 44th annual meeting here July 28. “That’s why they

In Brief… – for Aug. 4, 2011

CWB lowers new-crop PROs:The Canadian Wheat Board has lowered new-crop wheat, durum and barley values for the upcoming crop year beginning August 1. In setting its latest PROs, the board cited U.S. economic uncertainty; a higher Canadian dollar; increased production in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan; higher Russian wheat sales; improving durum production outlook, and reduced weather


CGC Reclassifies CWRW Varieties

A number of Canada Western Red Winter wheat (CWRW) varieties will be reclassified under the Canada Western General Purpose (CWGP) class, effective August 1, 2011, the Canadian Grain Commission, or CGC, announced in a news release July 15. The varieties in question include; CDC Kestrel; CDC Clair; CDC Harrier; CDC Falcon; and CDC Raptor. The

Why Keep Bashing The Board?

After decades of hard work, the Canadian Wheat Board’s opponents have finally won their battle. Normally, congratulations would be in order, but congratulations are deserved only by those who have courage of their convictions and are gracious in victory. We’re not seeing much of either. Instead, the winners of this debate are continuing to heap