Province Launches Campaign To Save Canadian Wheat Board.

[joedales]

From a news release sent to Farms.com and Agriville.com

PROVINCE LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN
TO SAVE CANADIAN WHEAT BOARD
- - -
Radio and Television Commercials
Begin Today: Selinger

Manitobans will see and hear new television, print and radio spots supporting the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and the ability of farmers to have the right to decide the future of their own grain marketing agency, Premier Greg Selinger announced today at the CWB's head office in Winnipeg.

The campaign was launched following the federal government's indication that it will dismantle the CWB in 2012.

The new campaign will focus on highlighting the importance of the CWB to farmers and the provincial economy. It begins today and will run for three weeks.

"The CWB is important to so many Manitobans, providing grain growers with an effective and reliable way to sell their grains along with employing hundreds of people in Winnipeg," said Selinger. "We're very concerned with the message the federal government is sending to farmers and we won't just let them pull the plug on the Canadian Wheat Board."

"As farmers, we have the right to determine the future of our marketing agency," said Allen Oberg, a producer who chairs the CWB board of directors. "We pay for the CWB, we run it, we should decide what happens to it. We are grateful for the leadership being demonstrated by the Manitoba government on this issue. Manitoba farmers can be assured that their provincial government is standing up for their rights."

The CWB head office employs over 400 people in Winnipeg and supports 2,000 indirect jobs in the city, said Selinger. Last year, CWB gross revenues were among the highest in its history at $5.2 billion. It also is the single-biggest user of the Port of Churchill, shipping 600,000 tonnes of wheat last year alone.

"It's not only the farmers who will take a hit. Losing a proven and successful grain-marketing system would mean our provincial economy will see job losses that will affect many communities," the premier said. "It's time for all members of the legislature to stand up for the CWB, for farmers and for jobs. We need to push the federal government to reverse its decision immediately."

Manitobans can sign a petition to support the provincial government to urge the federal government to reverse its decision, the premier added. The petition is available at all Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO offices and online at www.gov.mb.ca.

[Klause]

Welcome to Manitoba... we have a one-in-350 year flood with half the frikken province covered in water and instead of focusing on helping producers, we're gonna ram the CWB down everyone's throats against their wishes so 2400 people can keep their jobs in winterpeg.

[$short]

That sounds to me like the CWB directors arent moving on with plans to function without the legislated monopoly they have enjoyed. What a shame.........

[TOM4CWB]

Joe,

Manitoba has the RIGHT to do a Manitoba Wheat Board... just like Quebec did a couple of years ago.

Be my guest... they can keep the single desk and 2100 jubs in Winterpeg... and loose another $1/bu on top of the $3/bu missing now.

Spending $150m on the software and computer hardware systems... obviously is a big benefit to Winipeg as well.

Oh... sorry... did I forget a N!

N is for NO... I am done. No means NO. Back off and leave me alone.

[sumdumguy]

Did anyone see Bruce Johnstone editorial on
page B1 of the June 11 Regina Leaderpost?
What biased journalism this mushroom spews!

[TOM4CWB]

Even Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz concedes that most Prairie wheat and barley producers support the Canadian Wheat Board.

"The wheat board claims they have the support of 60 per cent of the farmers. That's a great base to start from,'' Ritz told the Regina & District Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, referring to the voluntary wheat board the Tories intend to create as of Aug. 1, 2012.

So why do farmers support the board's single-desk monopoly on export sales of Western Canadian wheat, durum and barley?

And why does Ritz and company want to get rid of the CWB's monopoly?

More importantly perhaps, who stands to benefit from the dismantling of the single desk, and who stands to lose?

That farmers generally support the CWB and its single-desk marketing power is demonstrated by the election of pro-single desk supporters in the overwhelming majority of director elections that have been held since 1998, when farmers were given 10 of the 15 seats on the CWB's board of directors.

And why wouldn't they support the CWB? The marketing agency, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year, has demonstrated its value to Prairie farmers time and time again.

According to a 2007 study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the CWB generates an estimated economic impact of $1.6 billion a year. As the world's largest exporter of wheat and barley, the CWB markets more than 20 million tonnes of grains and has sales in excess of $5 billion annually, giving it real market clout.

The Winnipeg-based agency markets Canadian grain to more than 70 countries and returns its sales revenues, less marketing costs, to 50,000 Prairie farmers. The single desk system enables the CWB to guarantee not only the quantity and quality of grain delivered to its customers, but also an initial payment to producers.

It can do this through a government guarantee, which is not a subsidy, but a line of credit that allows the CWB to provide a minimum floor price for farmers, not unlike support programs offered by other governments to their producers.

As to the subsidy charge, the U.S. government has investigated the board eight times in the past 10 years and the CWB has been found to be trading fairly and within international trading rules.

In fact, numerous studies by agricultural economists have shown the CWB earns a premium price for producers through its market clout, timing sales to catch market peaks, ensuring both the quality and quantity of grain delivered and getting volume discounts on shipping and handling.

So, what happens on Aug. 1, 2012? Well, no one can say for sure, but the Australian Wheat Board, which lost its monopoly in 2008, provides a pretty good example.

Despite having been in operation for more than 20 years, within a year of the removal of the single desk, the AWB's share of the export market dropped to 23 per cent. Since then, the AWB was taken over in a $1.1-billion bid by Agrium, which sold the commodity marketing arm of AWB to Cargill for $175 million.

So, who benefits? Grain companies, for one.

Viterra CEO Mayo Schmidt said he supports the removal of the single desk by the Conservatives and "intends to actively participate in the process to promote an orderly transition with positive, sustainable change for the benefit of the Western Canadian agricultural industry."

Given the success of Viterra's takeover of the Australia's former barley marketing agency, ABB Grain, Schmidt must be licking his chops with the prospect of getting a piece of the CWB's business.

So, who loses? The majority of Western Canadian farmers who support the CWB, of course.

And don't forget, once the single desk is gone, under our trade agreements, like NAFTA and the WTO, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to get it back.

This anti-democratic decision will have consequences for Canada's agriculture industry for decades to come.

Johnstone is the Leader-Post's financial editor

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post


Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Lots losers winners fight/4930170/story.html#ixzz1PBdWuY2W

[Koldkanuck]

What are them idiots talking about "To save the Canadian Wheat Board"? All that the conservatives said, and rightfully so, is that they are going to make it voluntary. If the CWB is so great, farmers that think so will sign up with them. If the CWB is so great, they have nothing to fear. I for one, will "take my chances" without them blood suckers. But that's just me. Of course the NDP run Manitoba government is crying, because I have yet to see them side with any policies of another party. But don't worry CWB supporters, I'm sure farmers will be tripping over themselves to sign up with the board.

[wmoebis]

Right or Wrong.
Every producer should understand that when gov't and all others, speak about "benifit to Western Canadian agriculture industry" they are not talking about producers.

Producers "ARE A SUPPLIER TO THE INDUSTRY".

If you don't believe this just publicly ask any one of them. We are no diff than the steel/plastic or rubber producers to the auto industry.

[lesm]

PM Harper and Minister Ritz, just kill that blood suck'in CWB! I have been very tolerant of my socialist friends for very many years and nobody would give us non supporters the time of day when we wanted to opt out of this horrible system. Well, now it is my turn. You greedy sobs are royally screwed. Now you will know how it feels like when the shoe is on the other foot. Long live free enterprise!

[newguy]

Pretty scary when one province depends so much on a nonprofit farmer owned organization. Think someone should check the books before they are closed.

[silverback]

Does that mean manitoba producers are unable to survive without blending in product from alberta and saskatchewan?

At least someone is finally admitting it.

[Braveheart]

I agree lesm. Drive a stake through the monster's heart.

What irks me is that many many MB farmers are having the worst farming experience ever and rather than top up the Agrirecovery program, the NDP decide to spend taxpayer dollars on this crap!

I've heard one of the radio ads and they're the same tired old horse**** that is always trotted out. It will have no effect whatsoever. I really do suspect though that the CWB is really paying the tab, so expect your final pay'ts to be a bit lighter.

[Fransisco]

TV ads started tonight during the hockey game. What a bunch of BS and an utter waste of taxpayers money.

[sumdumguy]

Open the books and make them public, also the
vote.

[jrlee21]

Maybe it`s time the farmers that want freedom in saleing there grain should get together and put some ads together to defend our right to sale our grain to whom we want and tell the truth about the cwb. If someone want to spirhead this campaign I would put $100.00 in. If no one will take this on I will.