Letters, March 22, 2012

Taxpayers on the hook (again) When I first saw the article in newspapers about $4.5 million for Maple Leaf upgrades, my first thought was, is it election time again, and so soon? I do not understand why Minister Vic Toews, chastises the city of Winnipeg and the media reporting as to what and whose sewage

CWB officials promote pools at grower meetings

While the Canadian Wheat Board had its monopoly, some farmers complained getting a “good, average price” for wheat wasn’t good enough. But in the coming open market, the board is betting lots will think that’s pretty good. “The average of the market through a pooling operation does actually return people the best value, overall, over


Cigi being wooed to move to Saskatoon

Fears that scrapping the monopoly-powered wheat board could undermine Winnipeg’s grain sector hegemony were bolstered with news Saskatoon wants Cigi (Canadian International Grains Institute) to move there. The offer came Nov. 29 during a meeting with Saskatoon economic development group representatives, Rex Newkirk, Cigi’s director of research and business development said in an interview March

Farmers still waiting for marketing choice

On behalf of tens of thousands of successful farmers who eagerly anticipate a new wheat and barley era, we strongly encourage both private grain companies and the new voluntary Canadian Wheat Board to use all possible resources to successfully conclude their ongoing negotiations on handling agreements. The Grain Growers’ policy has always been marketing choice


2012 wheat midge forecast low to moderate

North Dakota expects fewer wheat midge in 2012 and the outlook is similar for Manitoba. There could be some localized hot spots in western Manitoba but overall populations of the insect that can damage wheat kernels will be low to moderate, says Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives entomologist John Gavloski. The presence of wheat

CWB books $6 billion in revenues for 2010-11

Prairie wheat and barley growers saw payments of about $5.5 billion for their deliveries to the Canadian Wheat Board during the 2010-11 crop year. The CWB released its annual report for 2010-11 Feb. 21 showing $6.071 billion in combined pool revenue, with $3.792 billion paid out to pool participants, another $1.709 billion paid out through


Canadian Wheat Board seen gaining grain-handling deals

Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Feb. 27 he is confident the Canadian Wheat Board will strike agreements with grain handlers to allow it to start buying farmers’ 2012 crops for future delivery. As of Aug. 1, the wheat board plans to continue buying and selling upcoming crops, even though farmers will be no longer

Briefs March 1, 2012

Kazakhstan expects sharp decline in 2012 grain crop astana/reuters / Kazakhstan expects its grain harvest to revert to an average level of between 13 million and 15 million tonnes this year, a sharp decline from the record post-Soviet crop of 2011, Deputy Agriculture Minister Muslim Umiryayev said Feb. 21. Central Asia’s largest wheat exporter harvested



Briefs March 1, 2012

Teenagers killed on snowmobile Killarney RCMP report two teenage girls were killed Feb. 27 when the snowmobile they were driving collided with a trailer parked on a farm property near Boissevain. A 14-year-old girl from Boissevain and a 17-year-old girl, who was a student visiting from outside of Canada, were taken by emergency workers to